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Germany and Nigeria agree to return Benin bronzes

2022-06-28T16:08:59.655Z


Nigeria has been demanding the return of the Benin bronzes stolen during the colonial period for years. Foreign Minister Baerbock and Minister of State for Culture Roth want to sign a declaration of intent on Friday.


Enlarge image

Bronze commemorative heads from the Kingdom of Benin in the 19th century

Photo: Daniel Reinhardt / dpa

Germany and Nigeria have reached an agreement on how to deal with the Benin bronzes in German museums, which are considered colonial loot.

According to information from the German Press Agency, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth (both Greens) will sign a declaration of intent with their Nigerian counterparts in Berlin on Friday, which will pave the way for the transfer of ownership of the valuable art objects.

A spokesman for Roth confirmed the report to SPIEGEL.

The signing takes place at the Federal Foreign Office.

Minister of Culture Lai Mohammed and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Zubairo Dada are said to represent the Nigerian side.

Five German houses involved in transfer of ownership

Two bronzes are to be handed over immediately afterwards.

The pieces come from Berlin stocks.

Around 1,100 of the ornate bronzes from the palace of what was then the Kingdom of Benin, which today belongs to Nigeria, can be found in around 20 German museums.

Most of the objects come from the British looting of 1897.

Last year, representatives from the federal government, Nigeria and museums announced the retransfer of ownership rights.

The Linden Museum in Stuttgart, the Museum am Rothenbaum (Hamburg), the Rautenstrauch-Joest Museum (Cologne), the Ethnological Museum in Dresden/Leipzig and the Ethnological Museum in Berlin all have the most extensive collections.

So far, these five houses are involved in the planned transfer of ownership.

So far, we have discussed with the partners in Nigeria which and how many objects should not only be transferred, but also returned and what can remain in Germany - then as a loan.

feb/dpa

Source: spiegel

All life articles on 2022-06-28

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