Returned Artefacts Boost Heritage, Research Capabilities and Tourism: Ministry of Tourism

Addis Ababa, November 19, 2025 (ENA) - The Ministry of Tourism asserts that the repatriation of artefacts from abroad will significantly strengthen Ethiopia’s heritage, research capabilities, and tourism sector.

The return of 12 significant historical objects to the Institute of Ethiopian Studies (IES) at AAU has successfully facilitated by German Embassy in Addis Ababa.

The official handover ceremony took place at the historic Ras Makonnen Hall, an event that underscores the growing global commitment to the repatriation of cultural heritage.

Minister of Tourism, Selamawit Kassa, AAU President Samuel Kifle, and Ferdinand von Weyhe, the German Chargé d’Affaires, attended the ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Selamawit described the occasion as a “historic moment marking the return of artifacts by Professor Ramon Wyss and his niece Alice Wise to the Institute of Ethiopian Studies.”

The 12 artifacts were originally collected by Fritz Weiss, the grandfather of Professor Ramon Wyss, who served as the German envoy to Ethiopia in the 1920s.  

The collection includes culturally significant items such as gifts from Regent Tafari Makonnen, two ceremonial crowns, and several paintings.

Selamawit emphasized that the artifacts “offer a unique insight into Ethiopian art and craftsmanship of the 1920s” and will significantly enrich the IES’s museum collection and academic resources.

She also noted that the newly returned pieces will serve as an important attraction for visitors, complementing items previously repatriated after their removal during the British expedition to Maqdala in 1868.

Germany’s chargé d’affaires Ferdinand von Weyhe said the donation of shields, crowns, artwork and other treasured pieces was made possible through the contribution of the Wyss family.

He noted that the return of these objects has been under way since 2016 through close cooperation with the Ministry Foreign Affairs and Society of Friends of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies (SOFIES).

The embassy will mark the occasion with a dedicated exhibit at the Goethe Institute featuring fifty one rare photographs taken by Envoy Weiss and his wife Hedwig, he said, adding that the shields, crowns, artworks, and other items were donated by members of the Wyss family and expressed pride in their return.

Weyhe also noted the significance of the occasion as Ethiopia and Germany celebrate 120 years of diplomatic relations, reaffirming Germany’s long-standing support for cultural exchange.

Professor Ramon Wyss, on his part, shared a personal reflection, recounting that his father, born during the family’s diplomatic mission in Ethiopia, was given the name “Yeshewaneh” by Emperor Haile Selassie.

He said the family’s intention in donating the artifacts is to “share their beauty with the public, preserving the culture and history connected to my father’s birth.”

AAU President Samuel Kifle, on his part, expressed gratitude to international partners who “worked tirelessly” to make the repatriation possible and acknowledged the renovation of the IES museum, supported by the Italian government.