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Around Twelve cultural items were formally restored to Ethiopia after remaining by a family in Germany for over a century.

The items, initially gathered in the early twentieth century by Germany's then-envoy to Ethiopia Franz Weiss and his wife his partner, were transferred on Wednesday to the Institute of Ethiopian Studies at the university in Addis Ababa.

The set included crowns, armor and canvases, each viewed as historically valuable in the country.

"The treasures continue to serve as a emblem of the enduring and amicable relationship between the German nation and the Ethiopian people," said the German diplomat, the ambassador to the East African country.

Professor Ramon Wyss, whose father was delivered during the family's service in Ethiopia, presented the artefacts at a gathering witnessed by the Minister of Tourism Selamawit Kassa.

He stated that the household's goal to restore the artefacts was to "display their beauty with the audience and preserve the heritage and past linked to my parent's origin."

The items were either donations or acquisitions, according to the family.

"I want to express gratitude to the Weiss relatives for practically expressing their profound appreciation for Ethiopia by carefully safeguarding these artifacts and importantly guaranteeing their homecoming to their legitimate homeland," said the tourism minister.

The minister added that the pieces would soon be opened to the general audience for investigation and academic study, describing the decision a significant step in safeguarding Ethiopia's cultural heritage.

"Efforts will continue to return old artifacts that are held in the custody of collectors and entities all over the planet," the minister stated.

In the era of colonial rule in Africa, numerous of cultural items were plundered.

The demand by nations in Africa for the repatriation of stolen items has been responded to by a degree of progress in recent years - although a number of artefacts are merely on loan.

Back in the year 2022, the German government was the pioneering country to return a portion of the renowned historical items to the West African nation as part of an effort to address its "dark colonial history."

Related Topics

• Cultural Return Movements in Africa
• The Effect of Colonial Past on Modern African Heritage
• Global Campaigns for the Return of Stolen Items