Return of Benin bronzes: “We’re healing a wound with it”

With the Benin bronzes, Germany is releasing a cultural treasure from colonial times for return. Ownership passes to Nigeria. Both countries signed a corresponding declaration of intent.

They are exemplary for the return of art objects whose status as looted goods from the colonial era has been documented: the Benin bronzes. Around 1100 bronze sculptures, reliefs and other art objects from the palace of what was then the Kingdom of Benin, now part of Nigeria.

Ownership passes to Nigeria

These Benin bronzes are in several German museums. They come largely from looting by British troops in 1897 in what was then Benin. Now they are to become the property of Nigeria. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth signed the relevant declaration of intent with their Nigerian colleagues.

This is intended to transfer ownership of the art objects to Nigeria. Two of the bronzes from the Ethnological Museum in Berlin will be taken by the Nigerian government emissaries on their return journey. The rest remain in Germany for the time being, but from now on on loan from Nigeria.

Baerbock: Kept too long and not returned

Baerbock said the theft of the bronzes was an injustice that must now be made good. “This is not only a day of joy, but we are also healing a wound with it,” said the Green politician. “We are finally facing up to our colonial history.” It’s not a gesture, it’s a piece of justice.

Baerbock further said the Benin bronzes were illegally taken. And above all, they had been kept for far too long and not returned. “We care for the cultural heritage, the cultural history of Africa.”

This is just the beginning of a larger return, Baerbock said at the signing of the agreement. Nigeria’s Minister of Culture Lai Mohammed described this day as the beginning of a new era in cooperation between the two countries.

Roth: Intensive study of colonial history

Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth was also pleased and said that the day of the return was the beginning of an intensive study of German colonial history. There is a white spot in dealing with this past.

“On this day we begin to address slavery, colonial injustice and racism. And I believe that not only has something happened that is important to us, but it is an outstretched hand, a thank you to Nigeria and to Benin who shook hands with us and who trusted us that a new relationship is possible with this day: a relationship that will reach into the future,” said Roth.

Agreement initially affects five museums

The agreement affects five German museums: the Ethnological Museum in Berlin, the Hamburg Museum am Rothenbaum, the Cologne Rautenstrauch-Joest-Musem, the ethnological museums in Leipzig and Dresden, and the Stuttgart Lindenmuseum. The other 15 German museums with Benin bronzes in their inventory are also scheduled to gradually restitute them, i.e. return them to the original owners.

According to the agreement, Nigerian museums will in future be able to decide for themselves which of the bronzes from Germany will be lent and how they will be presented. Visitors to the Berlin Humboldt Forum will be able to see this from September. 400 of the Benin bronzes from the Berlin collection are to be shown there.

5000 Benin bronzes in European museums

The total of around 5000 Benin bronzes, which are mainly in museums in Europe, are examples of many other works of art that are considered looted. This has something to do with their value, their popularity as exhibits and their undisputed looted status.

As part of the agreement, Germany will provide financial assistance for the construction of a museum in Benin City and help train staff. This is intended to help create a museum infrastructure in the country of origin of restituted art that is still lacking.

Restitution without physical return

The retransfer of property, as the current agreement shows, can also be done without physically returning the items themselves. Universities and museums in Europe and the USA have already returned Benin bronzes several times over the past few months. Among them is the return of 26 works from a Paris museum to the country of Benin. So far, however, there has never been such an extensive restitution as the current one from Germany to Nigeria.

The joint agreement was preceded by a public and parliamentary discussion. The Culture Committee of the German Bundestag has also met several times on the subject of retransfers of ownership of cultural assets – including several hearings of experts from German museums.