Requests 

On the occasion of his visit to Ephesus, Turkey, the former Austrian President Tomas Klestil told Austrian television on June 26th, 1996:

“I would be delighted to return Moctezuma's crown back to Mexico I would even like to bring it there to Mexico myself - I say this even though I know that I am touching a very sensitive topic when I talk about it". But nothing happens after that. 

He had promised the return of the feather crown as a token of gratitude that Mexico was the first country to protest against the annexation of Austria by the Nazi regime in the League of Nations in 1938. 

From 1995 to 2007 Elisabeth Gehrer was Austria's Minister for Culture, Science and Education. Although I had held many demonstrations in front of her ministry in downtown Vienna, she never received me. 

A few years before taking office, however, she did very well. In 1992 as a city councilor in the Austrian state of Vorarlberg, she was in favor of Moctezuma's crown being returned to Mexico! She even gave me that in writing with a personal signature! Our meeting was very pleasant and lasted about 45 minutes without her knowing at the time that she would one day be Minister of Culture. She even gave us 13,000 shillings (about $ 1,500) in support. 

However, when she became Minister of Culture and could have returned the Crown of Moctezuma herself, she did not do so and no longer wanted to know what she had said to us a few years ago. Politician… 

For decades (1986) we, the descendants of the Aztecs, have been demanding the return of our sacred feather crown to Mexico in vain! 

Three official requests from the Austrian parties SPÖ and the Greens for return, donation and permanent loan (from May 11, 2005, March 7, 2007 and March 11, 2009) have not yet been answered and have been postponed.

A modified agreement between the Republic of Austria and the United Mexican States on cultural exchange was signed by Austria very hesitantly on April 25, 2012, but only after an expert report claimed that the feather crown could not be transported. 

We will inform you about the current status of the claim under "News".