Crossing the road in Berlin brings an involuntary grin to the face. The charming Ampelmännchen traffic lights have transformed from East German pedestrian signals into one of the city’s most recognisable symbols, representing resilience, identity and the unique character of Germany‘s capital.
The cheerful alternative to boring traffic signals
Elsewhere, pedestrian crossing symbols are dull and utilitarian – the functionalist outline of a vaguely human red and green man. In Berlin, however, these colourful chaps have a certain joie de vivre about them.
The red one holds his arms out, seemingly intent on an embrace rather than stopping traffic. The green one, wearing a snazzy hat – perhaps a homburg, possibly a Panama – strides purposefully, with the vigour of a man who has just had an espresso on a beautiful sunny day.
Karl Peglau’s psychological design revolution
These fine fellows are known as the Ampelmännchen, and they’re the creation of traffic psychologist Karl Peglau. He submitted the idea for them in October 1961, two months after the building of the Berlin Wall commenced.
The pug noses, hats and slight paunches were deliberately chosen for emotional effect. The theory was that we’re more likely to trust someone we like or resemble.
East Berlin’s daily companions
For the people of East Berlin, the Ampelmännchen became part of normal life. To outsiders, on the rare occasions they were allowed into East Berlin, they were a surprise.
One of those outsiders was Markus Heckhausen, a designer from West Berlin. He came over to the East on a one-day visa in 1988.
The birth of a cultural movement
It was his first encounter with the strangely jolly pedestrian crossing symbols. After the fall of the Wall, he saw traffic lights being dismantled, and thought the glass from them could be upcycled into lamps.
It fitted the spirit of East Berlin at the time, where nothing was established. Creatives were free to move in all sorts of directions.
East German identity crisis
But he was also tapping into a spirit of resistance that was quietly bubbling under. “I became aware of the mood in the new part of Germany,” says Heckhausen.
“The new fellow citizens felt like losers and lost their identity, because everything was changed to the western counterpart.” The Ampelmännchen were one thing the East did objectively better than the West.
The Ostalgia wave and cultural preservation
They were bigger and let more light through. And once the press showed an interest in Heckhausen’s lamps, a movement started to build as part of the ‘Ostalgia’ wave.
This movement involved reminiscing about life in the GDR. People wanted to keep the Ampelmännchen.
Political support for the traffic light men
A bandwagon grew with significant momentum, with:
- Public support from Berlin citizens
- Political backing from city officials
- Media attention highlighting their unique character
- Cultural significance as symbols of East German identity
The lights stopped being pulled down. This was one area where the East German way, Berliners decided, could win out over the Western style.
From East to West: The Ampelmännchen invasion
Until fairly recently, looking at the pedestrian crossings would give you a good idea which side of the dismantled Wall you were on. But what was once a truce is now an advance.
The Ampelmännchen have started appearing on the western side of the city when traffic lights get replaced. What was once a symbol of the old, mostly unlamented East has now become a symbol of Berlin as a whole.
Capitalism conquers communism: The commercial success
The perky red and green men are rapidly becoming competitors to the bear in Berlin’s flag. But capitalism, not communism, has been the driving force.
Heckhausen bought the rights to use the character, and has opened a series of Ampelmann shops based on it. They sell a wide range of products featuring the red and green figures.
Ampelmann merchandise empire
The souvenir shops stock an impressive range of Ampelmännchen products, including
- Wooden toys and children’s games
- T-shirts and clothing items
- Door mats and home accessories
- Footballs and sports equipment
- Towels and bathroom accessories
- Nail files and personal care items
It’s souvenir-hunter catnip, and the quirky icon of half a city can now be found in homes around the world. It’s not just streets they’re crossing – it’s borders.
Shopping for Ampelmännchen
The flagship Ampelmann shop is at Unter den Linden 35, close to the Brandenburg Gate. For more East German kitsch, head to the DDR Museum.
More Berlin travel
Other Berlin travel articles on Planet Whitley include:
- A guide to West Berlin for first time visitors.
- Canoeing along the Berlin Wall.
- Taking the Berlin to Munich train.
- Is it realistic to do a Berlin to Prague day trip by train?
- Taking on Berlin’s Bearpit Karaoke.
