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A total of 12 historical items were officially given back to the Ethiopian nation after remaining by a German family for over ten decades.

The items, first acquired in the 1920's by the German diplomat to the Ethiopian empire Franz Weiss and his spouse his partner, were handed over on midweek to the Ethiopian Studies Institute at Addis Ababa University.

This set included royal crowns, shields and canvases, each regarded as culturally significant in Ethiopia.

"The artefacts continue to serve as a emblem of the lasting and amicable ties between Germany and Ethiopia," remarked the German diplomat, the ambassador to Ethiopia.

Professor Ramon Wyss, whose parent was delivered during the family's assignment in Ethiopia, presented the items at a ceremony witnessed by Tourism Minister Selamawit Kassa.

He explained that the household's aim to give back the treasures was to "share their beauty with the people and maintain the heritage and history connected to my father's beginning."

These objects were either donations or purchases, as stated by the family.

"I want to express gratitude to the Weiss relatives for concretely expressing their deep appreciation for Ethiopia by meticulously safeguarding these treasures and importantly ensuring their return to their legitimate country," stated the official.

The minister added that the items would soon be made accessible to the general audience for study and educational purposes, describing the move a landmark in preserving the nation's cultural heritage.

"Efforts will continue to return historical artifacts that are found in the hands of collectors and entities throughout the globe," she said.

In the era of colonial rule in the African continent, numerous of historical artefacts were looted.

The request by nations in Africa for the return of stolen objects has been answered with a degree of success in lately - though a number of objects are merely on short-term display.

In the year 2022, Germany was the pioneering country to return some of the well-known Benin Bronzes to the Nigerian people in an attempt to address its "dark legacy."

Connected Subjects

• Historical Repatriation Movements in the Continent
• The Impact of Imperial Past on Modern Ethiopian Culture
• International Movements for the Restitution of Looted Artefacts