Events

Online Event on the Handling of Human Remains in German Collections

The German Contact Point for Cultural Property and Human Remains from Colonial Contexts invites to the digital panel discussion Between Research, Responsibility and Remembrance: Dealing with Human Remains from Colonial Contexts of Unknown Provenance on 18 February 2026 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (CET).

The handling of human remains from colonial contexts presents museums, collections and research institutions with complex professional as well as ethical challenges. A key finding of the Survey on Human Remains from Colonial Contexts Held in Museum and University Collections in Germany conducted in 2023 by the German Contact Point for Cultural Property and Human Remains from Colonial Contexts shows that approximately 46 % of the recorded human remains that have not been culturally modified cannot be clearly attributed to a specific geographical origin. Knowledge about origin and provenance is, however, of crucial importance both for a potential return to the communities and countries of origin and for ensuring appropriate care and handling within museums and collections in Germany.

Against this background, a number of fundamental questions arise: How should museums and collections deal with human remains, whose origin stays permanently unclear? What types of spaces or facilities are suitable for the medium- or long-term care and safekeeping of human remains with unresolved provenance? And what constitutes an ethically responsible approach to human remains whose origin cannot be determined or which cannot be repatriated to a country or society of origin?

We would like to explore these questions during a digital panel discussion with experts from cultural and academic institutions in Germany and abroad. Four short presentations by Prof. Wazi Apoh (Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, University of Ghana), Sarah Fründt (German Lost Art Foundation / Expert Network on the Handling of Human Remains), Dr. Birgit Scheps-Bretschneider (affiliated with the Dresden State Art Collections | GRASSI Museum) and Dr. Rudo Sithole (AFRIMUHERE) will open the event and provide the basis for a subsequent panel discussion. Aisha Camara will be the moderator for the event.

Network Conference "Collections from Colonial Contexts: Challenges, Tasks, Strategies"

Organized by the German Contact Point for Collections from Colonial Contexts

The online network conference "Collections from Colonial Contexts: Challenges, Tasks, Strategies" took place on November 24, 2020 within the framework of Germany's Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Its main aims were to present the German Contact Point for Collections from Colonial Contexts to European and international actors, to promote the networking of experts from Germany, Europe and the countries and societies of origin, and to identify and document future cooperation options for the German Contact Point. Further aims were also to identify the needs and interests of people and institutions in the countries and societies of origin and to create communication channels and facilitate encounters that enable a common dialogue characterized by mutual respect.

The conference focused on three areas of activity, as defined in the "Framework Principles for dealing with collections from colonial contexts", which are 1. Transparency and documentation; 2. Return, and 3. Cultural exchange and International Cooperation. In three thematic panels, participants from different regions of the world discussed measures, tasks and current challenges in dealing with collection from colonial contexts, shared practical experiences, and exchanged ideas about future cooperation perspectives. The recommendations for action that resulted from the discussions during the conference are a valuable contribution to overcoming the existing and future challenges and tasks of the German Contact Point for Collections from Colonial Contexts.

The video recordings of the Network conference can be accessed here.