Baden-Württemberg has many artistic objects that were stolen from their countries of origin during the colonial period. The country is also initially open to the return of a new claim from Cameroon. Now a royal visit is coming up.
Stuttgart (dpa / lsw) – After the agreement on the return of stolen objects to Nigeria, the Baden-Württemberg state government is continuing to advise on artistic African objects from today’s Cameroon. In order to emphasize the concerns of his people from northwest Cameroon, the King (Fon) of the Nso will visit the Linden Museum in Stuttgart today and hold talks. Fon Sehm Mbinglo I had previously demanded the return of royal objects for his people.
“According to the current state of knowledge, the return request will mainly include the royal and cultic objects of Kumbo in the northwestern province of Cameroon,” said the Ministry of Science. “It is not yet known how many objects are involved.” Promises of a return have not yet been made.
According to the Linden Museum, during his visit, the Fon and his delegation will see the exhibition “Where is Africa?” View the pieces on display as well as other works from the magazine. A meeting with representatives of the Ministry of Science and with the director of the State Museum of Ethnology, Ines de Castro, is planned for the afternoon.
“We are delighted that Bui’s Fon and his delegation are now inspecting the objects in the Linden Museum directly – we warmly welcome him to Stuttgart,” said Science Minister Petra Olschowski (Greens). The country’s position is clear: “We are fundamentally open to claims for the return of cultural assets that were acquired in a colonial context in an unethical manner that is no longer justifiable,” she told the dpa. The visit by Fon and its delegation could be the start “of an intensive exchange with the applicants,” she said.
According to earlier information from the ministry, the Linden Museum has a total of around 45 objects from the region in its inventory, including chains, hoods and a throne stool. Last June, the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation decided to return the Ngonnso statue. The figure comes from the historical kingdom of Nso’ and came to the collection of the Ethnological Museum of the State Museums in Berlin in 1903 as part of a gift from the colonial officer Kurt von Pavel. The Ngonnso has a central role for the Nso as mother goddess.
As a colony, Cameroon was part of the German Empire from 1884 to 1916. However, the initially friendly contacts between the Nso and the German expeditionary forces became increasingly hostile. Ultimately, all uprisings and resistance by the Nso were put down by the Europeans, and the population had to endure a new system of taxation, administration and work.
