All but a smidgen of my running so far has been in what was East Berlin (and the former GDR). So its not too much of a surprise that I have come across plenty of Ampelmännchen. These are the recognisable and much loved green and red be-hatted traffic light men that normally indicate you are in the east of the city. They were designed in the late 50s by Karl Peglau who thought not all motorists could distinguish between the red, amber and green colours of traffic lights. During the GDR, they became characters in cartoon books and TV programmes (red man for dangerous situations, green man for advisable situations). So it is no wonder that they were retained after reunification and that they have become a mainstay of "Ostalgie" (nostalgia for East Germany).
What is more endearing is that they have been picked up as a symbol for wider Berlin tourism (the tourist shops around Museum Island are packed out with Ampelmännchen mugs, tea towels, ashtrays etc etc) and that other Germany citys (including in the former West Germany) have also adopted them. And, better still, there is an Ampelfrau. Traffic light feminism!
Traffic lights have frustrated me a bit today. Dutifully stopped and waited at what seemed like loads during my run, and then apparently (according to a policeman) jumped one later in the day on my bike and got a 100 euro fine!
What is more endearing is that they have been picked up as a symbol for wider Berlin tourism (the tourist shops around Museum Island are packed out with Ampelmännchen mugs, tea towels, ashtrays etc etc) and that other Germany citys (including in the former West Germany) have also adopted them. And, better still, there is an Ampelfrau. Traffic light feminism!
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