Kathmandu – More than 800 important historical Nepali documents dating from the 13th to the 20th century have been returned to Nepal and handed over to the National Archives of Nepal.
The documents, previously part of the private collection of German citizen Joseph Peter Rindfleisch, were formally handed over to Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal by Heidelberg University Professor Axel Michaels, Dr. Manik Bajracharya and Rajan Khatiwada at a ceremony held at the National Archives.
The documents were returned to Nepal through collaboration among the Embassy of Nepal in Germany, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Saraf Foundation, and the National Archives.
The collection includes palm-leaf manuscripts, royal decrees, court orders, Sanskrit texts, travel accounts and other historical records. According to the collection catalogue, it contains 465 Malla-era palm-leaf documents, 312 legal and royal documents from the Shah and Rana periods, 18 handwritten works and travel diaries from the Rana Prime Minister’s Office, and 11 other manuscripts.
Minister Khanal said the repatriation of the documents helps restore Nepal’s cultural heritage and sovereign ownership of its historical records. He also praised the Rindfleisch family, Professor Michaels and his research team for their efforts in returning the collection to Nepal.
The collection was preserved and catalogued by Heidelberg University Library and the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities before being returned to Nepal in coordination with the government.
Nepal and Germany are both parties to the 1970 UNESCO Convention concerning the prevention of the illicit import, export and transfer of ownership of cultural property. Khanal said the handover reflects a shared commitment to the principles of the convention.
