I recently accompanied Annalena Baerbock and Claudia Roth to Nigeria. The foreign and state ministers for culture brought back art treasures, the so-called Benin bronzes. British stole it in 1897. Most are in London. But German museums had also bought the looted art.

During a ceremony at the Foreign Ministry in Abuja, Roth spoke of a historic moment. Baerbock said they are facing up to their colonial past. Unlike in Namibia, Germany did not commit the crimes in Nigeria, but benefited from them. The Nigerians were grateful and celebrated the guests for doing what the British have so far refused to do. Sounded like a good day for Germany.

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