Film series in the LWL Museum: Focus on the return of colonial cultural treasures!

Film series in the LWL Museum: Focus on the return of colonial cultural treasures!

In the coming weeks, important topics regarding the restitution of colonially stolen cultural assets will be discussed at the LWL Museum for Art and Culture in Münster. The collegiate research group “Access to Cultural Goods in Digital Change” at the University of Münster is organizing a film series entitled “Access and Return: Restitution in Film”, which begins on June 17th and offers entry at a cost of 5 euros. The film series aims to raise awareness of the challenges and opportunities in dealing with colonial heritage, particularly in the discussion of the return of these assets.

Two films will be shown at the start of the series. “You hide me” by Nii Kwate Owoo describes the discovery of African cultural objects in the British Museum and addresses aspects such as expertise, access and justice in relation to the return of the objects. The second film, “Dahomey” by Mati Diop, focuses on the repatriation of 26 treasures of the Kingdom of Dahomey from France to Benin. The statue of King Ghézo, which can be found in the Musée du Quai Branly, tells of his experiences via voiceover.

Follow-up appointments and expert discussion

In addition to the start on June 17th, follow-up dates are planned on June 24th and July 1st with six additional films from 1997 to 2024. All demonstrations begin at 7 p.m. and are supplemented by a short technical introduction. These events are part of a larger discourse about the responsible use of cultural assets from the colonial era, which also varies greatly in different European countries.

An example of such a discussion took place on October 21, 2021 in Graz, where experts such as Claudia Augustat, Katrin Vohland and Raphael Groß debated the restitution of cultural assets. The event, which was financed by the city of Graz, was free due to Corona protection measures, but advance registration was required. This highlights the ongoing importance of the topic in today's society.

Legal framework and challenges

Despite the ongoing discussions, there is still a lack of a uniform legal basis for dealing with cultural property from colonial contexts. There is currently no international agreement comparable to the “Washington Principles”. Demands for restitution, which have been made since colonial times, have become more important since the 1960s. But the UNESCO Convention of 1970 does not apply retroactively and therefore does not cover the heyday of colonialism. Coming to terms with this colonial past is increasingly being integrated into social debates, but remains a challenging topic.

The variability in the discussion about colonial legacy is pronounced, both within Germany and between other European countries. Solutions being considered in addition to returns include permanent loans, legal transfers of ownership without physical repatriation, financial compensation, and the promotion of joint research projects. Particularly for human remains from anthropological collections, return is often recommended if requested by the society of origin.

Overall, the issue of return, restitution and repatriation reflects the complex questions associated with cultural heritage and historical injustices. The terms are part of a complex discourse in which the term “return” is the overarching term, while “repatriation” emphasizes the social context and “restitution” focuses on the legal aspects.