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Are African Artifacts Safer in Europe? Museum Conditions Revive Debate Are African Artifacts Safer in Europe? Museum Conditions Revive Debate
(about 8 hours later)
BERLIN — Is Africa’s cultural heritage better off in Europe or in Africa?BERLIN — Is Africa’s cultural heritage better off in Europe or in Africa?
That is the question at the heart of a yearslong debate that has gripped museums in Europe, where many officials say they support the idea of repatriating artifacts, but worry that African museums cannot compare to state-of-the-art facilities in Britain, France or Germany.That is the question at the heart of a yearslong debate that has gripped museums in Europe, where many officials say they support the idea of repatriating artifacts, but worry that African museums cannot compare to state-of-the-art facilities in Britain, France or Germany.
That debate has been given new life in recent months after an investigation by the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper found that many of the artifacts that will be on display in the Humboldt Forum, a huge new museum under construction in a rebuilt Berlin palace, had for years been stored in less-than-ideal conditions. The report featured searing depictions of flooded storage rooms and depots choked with toxic dust.That debate has been given new life in recent months after an investigation by the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper found that many of the artifacts that will be on display in the Humboldt Forum, a huge new museum under construction in a rebuilt Berlin palace, had for years been stored in less-than-ideal conditions. The report featured searing depictions of flooded storage rooms and depots choked with toxic dust.
“They complain that they do not have enough money to do research on these objects to take proper care of them,” said Tahir Della, a postcolonial activist based in Berlin, “but they had enough money to build a castle in the middle of Berlin.”“They complain that they do not have enough money to do research on these objects to take proper care of them,” said Tahir Della, a postcolonial activist based in Berlin, “but they had enough money to build a castle in the middle of Berlin.”
“The question remains: Who are the rightful owners of these objects, and how can we treat them so they are not destroyed or damaged in the museum depots?” Mr. Della added.“The question remains: Who are the rightful owners of these objects, and how can we treat them so they are not destroyed or damaged in the museum depots?” Mr. Della added.
The Humboldt Forum will bring together the collections of several existing museums in the city under one roof, but reports in the German news media have focused on the storage facilities of the Ethnological Museum of Berlin, which will be the Forum’s largest single contributor.The Humboldt Forum will bring together the collections of several existing museums in the city under one roof, but reports in the German news media have focused on the storage facilities of the Ethnological Museum of Berlin, which will be the Forum’s largest single contributor.
Officials at the museum, which closed to the public in 2017 to prepare for the move to its new home, have responded with what observers call an unusual degree of openness.Officials at the museum, which closed to the public in 2017 to prepare for the move to its new home, have responded with what observers call an unusual degree of openness.
They have denied some of the reports, in particular the claim of flooded storerooms, but said their depots were beset with problems common to museums across Germany. Those included outdated facilities, a lack of staff members, and a sense of disarray that dates to moments of crisis in German history.They have denied some of the reports, in particular the claim of flooded storerooms, but said their depots were beset with problems common to museums across Germany. Those included outdated facilities, a lack of staff members, and a sense of disarray that dates to moments of crisis in German history.
Despite all that, they steadfastly rejected that those conditions might call into question their stewardship of the artifacts, many of which were collected during the era of European imperialism.Despite all that, they steadfastly rejected that those conditions might call into question their stewardship of the artifacts, many of which were collected during the era of European imperialism.
“We are not saying we are living in a perfect world,” Lars-Christian Koch, a senior official overseeing the Ethnological Museum, said in an interview. But, he added, “We definitely know what we are doing and how to take care of the objects.”“We are not saying we are living in a perfect world,” Lars-Christian Koch, a senior official overseeing the Ethnological Museum, said in an interview. But, he added, “We definitely know what we are doing and how to take care of the objects.”
“We have our difficulties,” Professor Koch said, “but we are opening up the whole situation and we are being transparent.”“We have our difficulties,” Professor Koch said, “but we are opening up the whole situation and we are being transparent.”
Berlin’s state museums returned nine artifacts to indigenous groups in Alaska last year, and Professor Koch and others pointed to an agreement signed by Germany’s culture authorities in March that established guidelines for returning objects taken from former colonies. “There are international standards for storage facilities and we know that in some museums in Africa and Asia, you don’t have these standards,” Professor Koch said. “That’s why some of our colleagues are asking us from these countries to get some way of capacity-building over there.”Berlin’s state museums returned nine artifacts to indigenous groups in Alaska last year, and Professor Koch and others pointed to an agreement signed by Germany’s culture authorities in March that established guidelines for returning objects taken from former colonies. “There are international standards for storage facilities and we know that in some museums in Africa and Asia, you don’t have these standards,” Professor Koch said. “That’s why some of our colleagues are asking us from these countries to get some way of capacity-building over there.”
Sindika Dokolo, a Congolese art collector who runs a foundation that has organized the return of artifacts to Congo and Angola, said it was true that “a whole generation” of museum professionals, like curators and conservationists, needed to be trained “in most of the African countries.” But while that new generation was being trained, he said, it is European museums’ responsibility to make sure African audiences had access to the artifacts in their possession.Sindika Dokolo, a Congolese art collector who runs a foundation that has organized the return of artifacts to Congo and Angola, said it was true that “a whole generation” of museum professionals, like curators and conservationists, needed to be trained “in most of the African countries.” But while that new generation was being trained, he said, it is European museums’ responsibility to make sure African audiences had access to the artifacts in their possession.
Institutions should say to themselves, “I need to find ways to make this very important part of their cultural history and identity accessible to this population. How do I make that happen?” Mr. Dokolo said.Institutions should say to themselves, “I need to find ways to make this very important part of their cultural history and identity accessible to this population. How do I make that happen?” Mr. Dokolo said.
It is up to them to create the conditions that would let African artifacts “play their role where they need to be right now, in Africa,” he added.It is up to them to create the conditions that would let African artifacts “play their role where they need to be right now, in Africa,” he added.
If Germany wants to work on capacity-building in museums, it might consider starting closer to home, said Andreas Schlothauer, the editor of the cultural journal Art and Context. He said, in some ways, it is German museums that are often out of step with international norms.If Germany wants to work on capacity-building in museums, it might consider starting closer to home, said Andreas Schlothauer, the editor of the cultural journal Art and Context. He said, in some ways, it is German museums that are often out of step with international norms.
While the Ethnological Museum is funded by the federal government, most museums in Germany are funded by local governments that prefer to invest in exhibitions over the unseen labor of preservation, Mr. Schlothauer said.While the Ethnological Museum is funded by the federal government, most museums in Germany are funded by local governments that prefer to invest in exhibitions over the unseen labor of preservation, Mr. Schlothauer said.
That dynamic has lead many of them to overlook innovations, like digital inventories, that museums in other countries embraced years ago, he said. In interviews, curators at the Ethnological Museum said some collections still use card catalogs from the 1960s, or even handwritten 19th-century ledgers. That dynamic has led many of them to overlook innovations, like digital inventories, that museums in other countries embraced years ago, he said. In interviews, curators at the Ethnological Museum said some collections still use card catalogs from the 1960s, or even handwritten 19th-century ledgers.
“They have enough money to hold the status quo, to keep it,” Mr. Schlothauer said, “but not to make an effort like the U.S. did in the 1990s with a process of digitalization and inventory and photographing every object.”“They have enough money to hold the status quo, to keep it,” Mr. Schlothauer said, “but not to make an effort like the U.S. did in the 1990s with a process of digitalization and inventory and photographing every object.”
“You have the same work in the Netherlands, and in Scandinavia and in France,” he added. “But in Germany we are behind.”“You have the same work in the Netherlands, and in Scandinavia and in France,” he added. “But in Germany we are behind.”
German museums have been slow to embrace technology in other ways too, he said. As an anthropologist who studies South American feather works, Mr. Schlothauer said it was not unusual to stumble across moths or larvae mixed in with objects in the wooden storage cases of German depots.German museums have been slow to embrace technology in other ways too, he said. As an anthropologist who studies South American feather works, Mr. Schlothauer said it was not unusual to stumble across moths or larvae mixed in with objects in the wooden storage cases of German depots.
“I have worked in Gothenburg and Stockholm and Amsterdam, and they have a storage room for feathers that are frozen,” he said. “That is the best condition.”“I have worked in Gothenburg and Stockholm and Amsterdam, and they have a storage room for feathers that are frozen,” he said. “That is the best condition.”
Officials at the Ethnological Museum blamed aging buildings for many of their problems. The ceilings sometimes leak and researchers wear protective gear because of toxic dust caused by chemical treatments used on artifacts in decades past.Officials at the Ethnological Museum blamed aging buildings for many of their problems. The ceilings sometimes leak and researchers wear protective gear because of toxic dust caused by chemical treatments used on artifacts in decades past.
Dirk Heisig, who trains museum professionals and has researched conditions at institutions in northwest Germany, said that some museum directors had a Darwinian approach to their collections. “You put an object in the depot for 10 or 20 years, and you look to see if it has survived the depot situation,” he said. “If so, it goes to the museum.”Dirk Heisig, who trains museum professionals and has researched conditions at institutions in northwest Germany, said that some museum directors had a Darwinian approach to their collections. “You put an object in the depot for 10 or 20 years, and you look to see if it has survived the depot situation,” he said. “If so, it goes to the museum.”
A recent tour of two Ethnological Museum depots housing artifacts from Southeast Asia and Oceania revealed an uneven approach to storage. The museum said the Africa collection depot, which was the focus of the Süddeutsche Zeitung investigation, was closed so a fire protection system could be installed.A recent tour of two Ethnological Museum depots housing artifacts from Southeast Asia and Oceania revealed an uneven approach to storage. The museum said the Africa collection depot, which was the focus of the Süddeutsche Zeitung investigation, was closed so a fire protection system could be installed.
“This was modern in the 1970s,” Dorothea Deterts, a curator, said, pointing to a metal case in the Oceania collection storage depot that was packed with what she said were too many wood carvings. “It is not modern nowadays, of course, but it is better than other rooms we have here.”“This was modern in the 1970s,” Dorothea Deterts, a curator, said, pointing to a metal case in the Oceania collection storage depot that was packed with what she said were too many wood carvings. “It is not modern nowadays, of course, but it is better than other rooms we have here.”
Some of the problems at the Ethnological Museum are unique and reflect the troubled history of Berlin. Chief among them is a lingering sense of disorganization that dates to World War II, when some of its records were destroyed by Allied bombing and roughly 55,000 artifacts were taken to the Soviet Union as spoils of war.Some of the problems at the Ethnological Museum are unique and reflect the troubled history of Berlin. Chief among them is a lingering sense of disorganization that dates to World War II, when some of its records were destroyed by Allied bombing and roughly 55,000 artifacts were taken to the Soviet Union as spoils of war.
Those artifacts were later brought to East Germany, where some grew mold in dank storage rooms while others cracked or broke into pieces owing to rough handling, Professor Koch said. The casualties included clay drums from South Asia that now lie in “hundreds of pieces,” he said.Those artifacts were later brought to East Germany, where some grew mold in dank storage rooms while others cracked or broke into pieces owing to rough handling, Professor Koch said. The casualties included clay drums from South Asia that now lie in “hundreds of pieces,” he said.
When Germany was reunified, the Ethnological Museum was reunified too. But like the rest of the country, the reintegration of its collection was an uneven process. That has left some curators not entirely certain of what they have.When Germany was reunified, the Ethnological Museum was reunified too. But like the rest of the country, the reintegration of its collection was an uneven process. That has left some curators not entirely certain of what they have.
There are many reasons for that. Some returned objects were incorrectly identified, like a group of West African ancestral figures that were mistaken for tools, said Jonathan Fine, a curator in the Africa collection.There are many reasons for that. Some returned objects were incorrectly identified, like a group of West African ancestral figures that were mistaken for tools, said Jonathan Fine, a curator in the Africa collection.
Roughly 2,000 of the returned objects could not be identified because they lost tags or had been damaged, Professor Koch said. They have sat for years in storage in over 100 boxes.Roughly 2,000 of the returned objects could not be identified because they lost tags or had been damaged, Professor Koch said. They have sat for years in storage in over 100 boxes.
Museum officials said they were digitizing their entire collection to build an online database as part of the restitution guidelines adopted earlier this year. As objects are digitized, they will also be cleansed of toxic dust. But that work is going slowly.Museum officials said they were digitizing their entire collection to build an online database as part of the restitution guidelines adopted earlier this year. As objects are digitized, they will also be cleansed of toxic dust. But that work is going slowly.
Mr. Della, the postcolonial activist, said accounts of damaged objects and confusion in the depots called into question the museum’s ability to repatriate artifacts if their original countries ask for their return.Mr. Della, the postcolonial activist, said accounts of damaged objects and confusion in the depots called into question the museum’s ability to repatriate artifacts if their original countries ask for their return.
“If Germany is serious about returning objects to their original countries it has to take care of them and have them in some order,” he said. “An object that has been lost or destroyed cannot be returned.”“If Germany is serious about returning objects to their original countries it has to take care of them and have them in some order,” he said. “An object that has been lost or destroyed cannot be returned.”