There was no certainty for the restitution of the Witbooi Bible and whip to turn out as successful as it was.
Who should they be returned to?
To the state of Namibia or the Witbooi family?
And how does the dispute over compensation for the genocide of OvaHerero and Nama affect this?
The Namibian government under President Geingob and especially the responsible Minister of Education Katrina Hanse-Himarwa claimed Hendrik Witbooi as a national hero, which is why Bible as whip should be treated as national heritage.
Conversely, representatives of the OvaHerero and Nama deny that the Namibian government is authorized to represent them in these matters, particularly regarding the genocide. They emphasize their minority status in Namibia and refer to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples from 2007.
Neither the Namibian nor the German government has accepted the involvement of those affected as a third party in the negotiations so far.
The involvement of the Nama is also complicated by the fact that the position of Kaptein (Traditional Leadership) has been vacant for years. While there are several aspirants for this role, the Namibian government has yet to recognize anyone as a legitimate successor.
...and in Germany
On the German side, the political responsibility was hardly any easier: the Federal Foreign Office is the first point of contact for foreign states, but the federal states are responsible for cultural issues. Since the Linden-Museum is jointly owned by the city of Stuttgart and the state of Baden-Württemberg, both the city council and the state parliament had to agree. The restitution was challenged by conservative and far-right politicians.
With the help of both embassies, the agreement was finally negotiated and signed.
It was agreed: The Bible and whip will be returned to the Witbooi via the Namibian state.
They will then hand over the Bible and whip to the National Archives for safekeeping.
At the restitution ceremony, not only government officials spoke, but also the elders of the Nama.
Elizabeth Kock demanded:
„Germany should return all objects that were looted and that are kept in museums.“
However, it is not often that circumstances of illegitimate appropriation and original ownership can be identified so clearly as they can in the cases of the Benin Bronzes or the Witbooi Bible and whip.
In most cases, the restitution of colonial artefacts remains a complex, intensely debated issue...