Marshall Islands Receive Enewetak Atoll Ancestral Remains After 100 Years
On October 7, 2025, a significant step towards addressing colonial heritage was taken when the human remains of four individuals from the Enewetak Atoll were formally handed over to representatives of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The remains, which had been held at the University of Göttingen and the University of Freiburg, were returned in a ceremony attended by Ministers of Science and Culture, as well as the rectors of both universities.
The remains, originally acquired in the early 20th century during surveys led by Paul Merz, had been part of the anthropological collection of the Museum of Ethnology in Hamburg. They were later transferred to the universities of Göttingen and Freiburg in the 1950s and 1960s. Both institutions have been committed to addressing the colonial past of their collections and have worked towards restitution.
The remains were formally handed over in a ceremony that acknowledged the injustice of the past and expressed a commitment to restitution. The event marked a step forward in dealing with the colonial heritage and restoring the dignity of the deceased. The return of the remains is an important part of the ongoing process of reckoning with and healing from the legacy of colonialism.
The return of the human remains from the Enewetak Atoll is a significant moment in the ongoing process of addressing the colonial past. It is a testament to the commitment of the universities of Göttingen and Freiburg to acknowledging and rectifying past injustices, and a step towards healing and reconciliation for the communities of origin.
