Heritage – Colonization: France, Germany and Belgium agree to return artistic treasures from Africa
Wednesday, October 27, 2021 ((rezonodwes.com)) – Almost 130 years after their entry into the French national collections, 26 treasures from the ancient kingdom of Danhomè are returning to Benin, from where they had been taken by force during the wars of colonization.
In 2017, Emmanuel Macron had indeed announced that he wanted to return “without delay” these works requested by the authorities of Benin.
More and more African countries are making the request. France is not the only one concerned. Countries like Germany and Belgium also have to respond to a number of complaints.
Germany is due to begin restitution to Nigeria of works of art known as Benin bronzes in 2022. Several pieces of this type are stored in the collections of German museums. Among them, 1,100 bronzes from Benin. These works of art, looted in 1897 by the British in what is now Nigeria, were then sold across Europe. Half of the German coins are now in Berlin.
Discussions with Nigeria around a restitution started in 2010 and slowly, consciousnesses have evolved in Germany. Now, the prevailing idea is that legal ownership of pieces that have been purchased is not legitimately legitimate, since the blood of victims of British colonization sticks to each of these works.
Belgium has decided to take the bull by the horns so as not to expose itself to controversies concerning ad hoc restitution decisions. No restitution has yet taken place as the current federal government has decided to take a systematic approach. All the objects are gradually listed and identified and depending on their origin, they will be automatically eligible for restitution, essentially to one of the three countries of the Belgian colonial past.