History - 17,000 human remains from colonial times in collections
Around 17,000 human remains from colonial contexts are stored in German museums and universities. This figure was calculated by the Contact Point for Collections from Colonial Contexts in Germany. The exact number could be even higher than the estimates given, it said on Friday. Around 38 percent of the figures submitted were summary figures.
This was based on a survey of 33 institutions with relevant holdings of human remains in anthropological, anatomical, medical-historical, ethnological or palaeontological collections. The collections were mostly created from around 1750 onwards.
The remains come from all continents. At 46 percent, around half of the remains cannot yet be assigned geographically. The majority of the human remains that can be assigned geographically (71 percent) come from regions in Africa and Oceania.
Human remains are recorded as an inventory in 68 percent of the facilities and 48 percent can be accessed digitally.
"The issue of dealing with human remains from colonial contexts is a sensitive one. The significance and treatment of the deceased is anchored in the ethical values and world views of the communities of origin," it said in a statement. "It is important to treat the descendants with respect and care."
Results and conclusions are to be discussed with experts, particularly from the countries of origin. The contact point, which is supported by the federal, state and local authorities, is to develop a concept for further action. This will address issues such as what needs to be done in the collections to re-humanize the human remains "so that they are once again accorded dignity and respect". In addition, ethical standards for appropriate storage are to be clarified. Methods of analysis to clarify the respective origin, transparency and the opportunities and limitations of provenance research will also be discussed. It also needs to be clarified what should be done with human remains whose origin cannot be clarified.
"Germany's colonial history also gives rise to a special responsibility for museums and collections, which they must face up to," said the Chairman of the Conference of Culture Ministers, Lower Saxony's Culture Minister Falko Mohrs, in the press release. "The handling of human remains from colonial contexts in Germany has often been questionable in the past. Now we have the chance to do better."
According to Markus Hilgert, Secretary General of the Kulturstiftung der Länder, the report makes "an important contribution to coming to terms with one of the darkest chapters in the history of German science and institutions". The institutions are thus faced with "enormous challenges".
Katja Keul, Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office, reported on the descendants' desire "for more transparency and information about the whereabouts of their ancestors". This is also specifically about "being able to bury their ancestors in their home country". In the view of Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth, human remains from colonial contexts do not belong in museums and collections. "Part of coming to terms with Germany's colonial history is finding an appropriate way of dealing with it and developing measures to return it to the countries of origin."
Report
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- The issue of handling human remains from colonial contexts in German museums and universities is a sensitive topic, as the significance and treatment of the deceased are deeply rooted in the ethical values and worldviews of the communities of origin.
- The Contact Point for Collections from Colonial Contexts in Germany highlighted that around 38% of the figures submitted were summary figures, indicating that the actual number of human remains could be higher than estimated.
- The survey covered 33 institutions with relevant holdings of human remains in anthropological, anatomical, medical-historical, ethnological, or palaeontological collections, with the majority of these collections originating from the colonial period.
- Human remains from Oceania and Africa account for a significant portion of the collections, with 71% and 46% of the remains, respectively, coming from these regions.
- In light of Germany's colonial history, Katja Keul, the Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office, emphasized the need for more transparency and information about the whereabouts of ancestors for descendants, allowing them to potentially bury their ancestors in their home country.
- The report on human remains in German museums and universities emphasized the importance of clarifying ethical standards for appropriate storage, methods of analysis to determine origin and provenance, and addressing the issue of human remains whose origin remains unclear.
Source: www.stern.de
