
Green Ampelmannchen

by Pablo Lopez
Title
Green Ampelmannchen
Artist
Pablo Lopez
Medium
Photograph - Digital Image
Description
Ampelmannchen literally means little traffic light man, diminutive of Ampelmann, and it is the symbol shown on pedestrian signals in Germany. Prior to German reunification in 1990, the two German states had different forms for the Ampelmannchen, with a generic human figure in West Germany, and a generally "male" figure wearing a hat in the East.
The Ampelmannchen is a beloved symbol in Eastern Germany, enjoying the privileged status of being one of the few features of East Germany to have survived the end of the Iron Curtain with his popularity unscathed. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Ampelmannchen acquired cult status and became a popular souvenir item in the tourism business.
The Ampelmannchen proved so popular that parents and teachers initiated the symbol to become part of road safety education for children in the early 1980s. The East German Ministry of the Interior had the idea to bring the two traffic light figures to life and turn them into advisors.
Uploaded
November 19th, 2020
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