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Around 12 historical objects were formally given back to the Ethiopian nation after being kept by a German family for in excess of ten decades.

These items, initially acquired in the 1920's by the German then-envoy to Ethiopia a German envoy and his spouse his partner, were handed over on this past Wednesday to the Ethiopian Studies Institute at the university in Addis Ababa.

The set featured headpieces, armor and paintings, all viewed as historically significant in the country.

"These treasures still serve as a mark of the enduring and friendly connection between Germany and the Ethiopian people," said the German diplomat, the ambassador to Ethiopia.

Professor Ramon Wyss, whose father was born during the family's assignment in Ethiopia, handed over the items at a ceremony attended by the Minister of Tourism Selamawit Kassa.

He said that the family's aim to restore the artefacts was to "showcase their appeal with the public and safeguard the heritage and history tied to my father's birth."

The objects were either considered donations or buys, based on the household.

"We would like to thank the Weiss family for actively expressing their sincere love for the nation by carefully maintaining these treasures and crucially guaranteeing their repatriation to their proper homeland," stated the official.

She added that the artefacts would shortly be opened to the general audience for investigation and scholarly work, calling the move a landmark in preserving Ethiopia's national treasures.

"Efforts will continue to bring back ancient objects that are found in the possession of private persons and organizations throughout the planet," the minister affirmed.

In the era of colonial rule in Africa, thousands of historical objects were looted.

The request by the continent's states for the repatriation of looted artefacts has been answered with a degree of progress in recent years - even if a number of objects are only on short-term display.

In two years ago, Germany was the initial nation to repatriate some of the famous Benin artifacts to the Nigerian people in a bid to confront its "troubled colonial history."

Related Subjects

• Historical Repatriation Movements in the Continent
• This Impact of Colonial Past on Modern Ethiopian Culture
• Global Movements for the Return of Looted Artefacts