Federal Cross of Merit for Margarete van Ess

On September 16, 2026, German Ambassador Dr. Daniel Krebber presented the Federal Cross of Merit to Dr. Dr. h. c. Margarete van Ess, the long-time director of the Department of Oriental Studies at the German Archaeological Institute (DAI), in Baghdad. The award honors her decades-long commitment to the research, protection, and preservation of Iraq’s cultural heritage, particularly in Uruk, as well as her contribution to archaeological cooperation between Germany and Iraq.
The ceremonial presentation took place in the Assyrian Hall of the Iraqi National Museum. It was organized in close cooperation with the Iraqi Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Antiquities and the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH). Guests included Sarwa Abdul Wahed, Iraq’s Acting Minister of Culture, as well as high-ranking representatives from the fields of culture, academia, and politics. Long-standing project partners and numerous participants in the Orient Department’s training programs had also traveled from various regions of Iraq to attend.

Research Between Uruk and Baalbek

Margarete van Ess’s research focuses on Southern Mesopotamia, present-day southern Iraq, from the 4th to the 2nd millennium B.C., with a particular emphasis on the ancient metropolis of Uruk. In Baalbek, Lebanon, she adopted an approach aimed at reconstructing the site’s history across all phases of its nearly 10,000-year history.

Cultural Preservation and Knowledge Transfer

Van Ess rendered outstanding service to the preservation of the archaeological sites and cultural heritage sites managed by the DAI under her leadership. She worked closely with host countries on cultural preservation, trained specialists, and ensured that scientific findings reached the general public in those countries. With tireless dedication, she advocated, even during politically difficult periods, for the protection and restoration of endangered archaeological sites and museums in Iraq.

Effective Advocacy for Cultural Heritage

Under her leadership, significant improvements to cultural heritage were achieved through the “Stunde Null” project, which laid the groundwork for the reconstruction of cultural heritage following the destruction caused by ISIS and the civil war in Iraq and Syria, as well as through the Iraqi-German Expert Forum on Cultural Heritage (IGEF). Both DAI programs received long-term and consistent funding from the Federal Foreign Office. The IGEF has established itself as a platform for dialogue, exchange, and training in modern techniques of building research and preservation. 

Employees of the Iraqi cultural heritage authorities are being trained there in technologies for documenting and conserving cultural heritage sites and are building a strong local network. The quality of the training, as well as the respect shown for Iraq’s cultural heritage, contribute to a positive image of Germany in the region.

Guest of Honor in Beirut

On September 24, 2026, Margarete van Ess was also the guest of honor at the German Embassy’s reception in Beirut marking German Unity Day. Ambassador Thomas Zahneisen highlighted the decades-long collaboration between van Ess and the DAI with Lebanese partners in research and cultural preservation, particularly in Baalbek. Among the guests from the worlds of culture, academia, and politics was Lebanese Minister of Culture Ghassan Salame. On October 1, 2026, Margarete van Ess will hand over leadership of the Department of the Orient to Simone Mühl, who was elected executive director by the DAI’s Central Board in May.