Ethiopia has received 12 historical artefacts, including crowns, shields, and paintings, that were kept by a German family for over 100 years.
The artefacts, originally collected by Germany’s former envoy to Ethiopia Franz Weiss and his wife Hedwig in the 1920s, were handed over to the Institute of Ethiopian Studies at Addis Ababa University.
Germany’s envoy to Ethiopia, Ferdinand von Weyhe, stated that the artefacts symbolize the long-standing and friendly relationship between Germany and Ethiopia.
The family returned the artefacts to “share their beauty with the public and preserve the culture and history connected to my father’s birth,” said Professor Ramon Wyss, whose father was born during the family’s diplomatic posting in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia’s Tourism Minister Selamawit Kassa thanked the Weiss family for their love for Ethiopia and pledged to continue efforts to bring back ancient artifacts held by individuals and institutions worldwide.
The returned artefacts will be opened to the public for research and academic study.
