Rosa Cantoro - English

The red and green man of the crosswalk has now grown up and he celebrates his 50th birthday in 2011. He has been around for generations in Germany and all around the world, and we can no longer imagine the streets without him. His signal ensures our road safety.

The history of the well-loved crosswalk began in East Berlin in 1961 when traffic psychologist Karl Peglau was given the task of having thoughts about road safety. The population's increasing mobilization was resulting in an increasing number of accidents and it was time to modernize the traffic system. While there were traffic regulations, the existing traffic lights only took account of car traffic. Peglau went a step further and became the first person to design pedestrian crossing lights using a combination of colors and shapes. He used signal red to ensure that it would be noticed by passersby. A distinctive green was the ideal color to complement this warning color. He was not satisfied with using only colors, but combined them with attractive shapes. Combining figures in changing colors particularly appealed to children, thus helping to ensure greater road safety. The red man / green man was born!

The traffic light man spread quickly

Ampelfrau and Ampelmann (Cologne) (© dpa - Report) The first crosswalks were set up at the Unter den Linden/Friedrichstrasse junction in East Berlin in 1969. Three years later, they were to be found throughout the whole of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR). The new signal was easy to understand for all and the cute character soon gained wide popularity. The traffic light man soon became a fixed part of East German traffic culture. His fame spread fast and he made it onto East German television. As a cartoon character, the traffic light man helped to train children in road safety in more than 80 episodes of Sandmännchen (Little Sandman, a German children's bedtime television program). While the East Germans became very fond of the little man in the hat over the years, he was rejected by decision-makers in the West following the political turnaround after 1989 (and German unification in 1990).

After the fall of the Berlin Wall – the East German traffic light man faces phase-out

The reunification of East and West Germany was to the disadvantage of the East German traffic light man, who had meanwhile come of age. While still popular, he soon fell victim to West German pressure to modernise. A 1990 regulation aimed to replace him with the West German or European standard traffic light man. But massive popular protest was soon voiced. The "Committee to Save the Ampelmännchen" aimed to prevent anything worse from happening. Tough wrangling between his supporters and opponents began.

Yet the original has undeniable advantages. His broad physique in comparison with his slim West German rival and his distinctive hat serve the useful purpose of having a larger illuminated area. The fact that he is illuminated over a larger area makes his competitor seem pale in comparison. The East German Ampelmännchen was thus given basic legitimisation in the Guidelines for Signal Systems, enabling a bit of GDR culture to be saved. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the European traffic light man became well integrated in the five new Federal Länder - the federal states that joined a united Germany in 1990 - but most traffic ministries in these states recommended giving preference to the use of the East German Ampelmännchen.

Different countries – different traffic light men

The diversity of the traffic light figures in different countries reflects their peoples' cultural diversity. There are rather long-legged traffic light men in France and stubby ones in Mexico. In Belgium, the idea of emancipation is clearly visible, with men and women adorning the traffic lights side by side. The Japanese prefer theirs to wear a hat, like the East German ones. The Austrians have reversed the principle, so to speak, putting white figures against signal red and green backgrounds. Canada also decided to use a different form of presentation. There, a red hand takes over the traffic light man's task and a white pedestrian symbolises the green phase.

Meanwhile, the European traffic light man is on the advance in more and more countries, the aim being to standardize the appearance of traffic signals. In 2004, a traffic light girl with pigtails and a dress was introduced alongside the traffic light man. The attempt to introduce her throughout Germany has been unsuccessful to date. She has remained loyal to her home country and is thus to be found mainly in the new Federal Länder.

You can find the complete article with fotos HERE.