Colonial heritage : Parzinger calls for structural funds for African museums

on the return of cultural objects, and relics from the German colonial period, institutions of the countries of origin from the point of view of the Foundation should be Prussian cultural heritage to be promoted. "It would need a structural Fund set up to support museums in Africa and other Parts of the world," said Foundation President Hermann Parzinger, Berlin. "It would be important to state a structural Fund set up to is a cooperation partner of German museums to assist in the solution of infrastructural problems, especially in the preservation of cultural heritage, therefore restoration and preservation or digitization." Often there is a lack of technical equipment. "We should not offer in an easy-neocolonial gesture in the construction of museums, but first ask what our partners really need to support." Also the culture holding it on self-help. "We need to enable museums to fulfil their duties. You know exactly what you need.“ It is about Capacity Building associated with education and training programs.

France has a pioneering role in the return

Germany had returned in August, the mortal Remains of 27 during the German colonial period, people killed in Namibia. You will be in a Namibian Museum. Namibia from 1884 to 1915 a German colony. Recently, more than 80 scientists from all over the world demanded a new way of dealing with the colonial history. They called for a Central Institution for the origin of research and a fundamental re-orientation in the work-up. In France, in Berlin and Paris, teaching is an art historian Bénédicte Savoy and the Senegalese Economist Felwine Sarr in a report for the French President, Emmanuel had recommended Macron, virtually all of the colonial art to return the works to their countries of origin.

Humboldt-Forum and colonialism Hermann Parzinger: "There must be new stories"

Parzinger referred to the role of science in the ongoing debate. "The provenance research leads ultimately to reconstruct the history of objects and to have a basis for decision-making, what may be wrong is fraught, so, for example, is stolen or in a military action was looted and what was acquired in a different way, legally."
the President of the Foundation focuses on Public. "It is important to give this topic more in the society," the President said. "But there are the dedicated attitude, human bones, not just to pack and return, but to provide you with the remaining information. It is expected of us that we explore the origin of such Remains, before we give it back to you. This is part of our responsibility.“ dpa