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Exactly Twelve historical items have been ceremoniously restored to Ethiopia after being kept by a household from Germany for in excess of a century.

The items, initially collected in the 1920s by Germany's diplomat to Ethiopia Franz Weiss and his spouse Hedwig, were delivered on this past Wednesday to the Ethiopian Studies Institute at the university in Addis Ababa.

The assortment featured crowns, shields and canvases, all considered as culturally important in the country.

"These artefacts still stand as a mark of the long-standing and friendly relationship between the German nation and Ethiopia," said Germany's envoy, Germany's envoy to Ethiopia.

Dr. Ramon Wyss, whose father was born during the family's service in Ethiopia, handed over the items at a ceremony witnessed by Tourism Minister the tourism official.

He said that the household's aim to return the items was to "share their appeal with the people and preserve the heritage and past linked to my parent's beginning."

These items were either gifts or purchases, as stated by the family.

"We would like to express gratitude to Professor Weiss's family for actively demonstrating their profound appreciation for Ethiopia by meticulously preserving these artifacts and vitally securing their repatriation to their rightful country," commented the tourism minister.

The minister added that the pieces would in the near future be available to the general audience for study and academic study, terming the move a significant step in preserving Ethiopia's national treasures.

"Efforts persist to return historical objects that are located in the possession of collectors and organizations throughout the globe," she said.

In the era of colonialism in Africa, many of traditional objects were plundered.

The call by nations in Africa for the restoration of looted artefacts has been answered with a degree of progress in recent years - even if some artefacts are only on short-term display.

Back in the year 2022, Germany was the initial country to return a selection of the well-known Benin Bronzes to the West African nation in a bid to address its "complex colonial history."

Related Topics

• Historical Repatriation Efforts in Africa
• The Impact of Colonial Past on Contemporary Ethiopian Heritage
• Global Movements for the Return of Stolen Items