Who Owns History? The Battle Over Cultural Heritage

The bust of Queen Nefertiti is a magnet for every visitor to Berlin. On the Nile, however, the icon of Egyptian culture is sorely missed. Formally, the ownership structure seems to be clear. The distribution of the finds was carried out strictly according to the law. But there are doubts about that. As early as 1924, the effigy of the Queen was reclaimed. The bust of Nefertiti exemplifies the question of where the future of such icons of world culture lies, in the field of tension between national property and truly shared heritage.

In 1864, a German engineer discovered the remains of a lost wonder of the world, the Altar of Pergamon, in the west of the Ottoman Empire. Berlin wanted what was left for its Museum Island. And got it! The replica in the Pergamon Museum continues to impress visitors to this day. The documentary accompanies art historian and looted art expert Bénédicte Savoy on her research: Did the reliefs once come to Germany through political pressure and bribery?

The Berlin Quadriga of the Brandenburg Gate underwent a remarkable transformation from a symbol of peace to a triumphant monument. Art historian Bénédicte Savoy sheds light on the events that led to this change in meaning. How did it come about that Johann Gottfried Schadow's creation was first taken from Berlin to Paris as a war trophy by Napoleon, but then forgotten in a depot and almost stayed in Paris forever? It was only during this period of involuntary absence that the work of art became a symbol of Prussia and of the victory over France. The Brandenburg Gate was transformed into a hotspot of German history. Time and again, the horse and carriage has been the focus of attention, as stolen goods, as a backdrop for imperial parades and Nazi marches as well as a symbol during the Cold War and the frenzy of reunification.

A king's gift to a colonial empire uncovers the enduring impact on Cameroon's royal heritage. In 1908, the King of Bamum in Cameroon handed over the throne of his dynasty to the German colonial administration as a birthday gift for Kaiser Wilhelm II in Berlin. But how voluntary could such a gift truly be? This documentary follows French expert on looted art, Bénédicte Savoy, as she travels to Cameroon to meet with local princes and kings who bemoan the loss of their historical insignia and other sacred objects. Through these encounters, the film explores the deep cultural impact of colonialism and the ongoing struggle to reclaim stolen heritage.