Germany's culture minister Monika Grütters has released a 130-page code of conduct for museums, titled "Guide to Dealing With Collection Goods From Colonial Contexts," which outlines methods for identifying and confronting colonial-era artifacts in German collections. The guidelines, published by the German Association of Museums, include best practices for provenance research, a list of former and current colonies, and alternatives to full restitution such as long-term loans and joint custody agreements. The release coincides with the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation's official ceremony returning nine artifacts to Indigenous Alaskan communities, and follows increased pressure from public outcry over the Humboldt Forum and similar restitution efforts by French president Emmanuel Macron.
The guidelines mark a significant policy shift in Germany's approach to its colonial past, but critics argue they are non-binding and insufficient, focusing only on objects that violated legal and ethical standards at the time of acquisition. Advocates like Tahir Della of the initiative for black people in Germany (ISD) contend the code preserves colonial interests rather than enabling meaningful returns. The document's emphasis on alternatives to restitution and its solicitation of input from African nations suggests Germany is attempting to balance international pressure with institutional caution, making this a pivotal moment in the global debate over colonial-era artifact repatriation.