Have you ever fallen in love with a traffic light? Strange question, you may think, unless, of course, you have already been to Berlin or the rest of the ex-DDR. Ampelmann, that lovable little creature on traffic lights over there. Born on 13th October 1961, Ampelmann was created by a traffic psychologist Karl Peglau, whose main aim was to make his design appealing to children. And judging by the crowds, aged from one to 100 years old, visiting the Ampelmann shop in the lovely courtyards of the Hackescher Höfe, Herr Peglau has succeeded beyond his wildest expectations!
Apparently his main concern was that the hat worn by his creation would be considered too bourgeois. But then, 1961 was the year when that other Berlin “tourist attraction” - The Wall - was built, begun exactly two months to the day before the introduction of Ampelmann to the stunned and bewildered city. Luckily, The Wall came down and Ampelmann has not only survived attempts after the reunification to have it replaced by more conventional traffic lights, but is now being used even in some towns in the western part of Germany. It has become the main mascot of Ostalgia, and, who knows, it may even be on its way to supplant the city’s traditional symbol, the Berlin bear, and one day fly proudly on the flag above the Rote Rathaus.
Whilst Ampelmann and perhaps the little caravans of tourists on “Trabi Safaris” at weekends are the more acceptable signs of Ostalgia, less tasteful examples of it can be found on souvenir stalls all over the city, particularly at Checkpoint Charlie. Russian Army caps and insignia, and even, so I’m told – I did not bother to stop and ask – your own personalised Stasi files made to order. And according to recent newspaper reports there’s now even a Stasi-themed café. Well, whatever turns you on.
If you want to find out more about Ampelmann, you can visit its website www.ampelmann.de. And if you click on Ampelmann International you will see a selection of traffic light designs from all over the world, each one of them underlining just how excellent and lovable that little 47-year-old Ossie really is!
Stanfords stocks a large selection of maps and guides to Berlin. With guides, the publication date is important, particularly if you’re planning to visit museums, as many are still being renovated and their exhibits may be temporarily removed to other places. The Lonely Planet Berlin guide, whilst not as good as some of its competitors on the historical and political nuances of Berlin’s past, has a very useful section with five special long walks in various parts of the city.
For background reading I would strongly recommend A Woman in Berlin by an anonymous author, describing life in the city just after its fall in May 1945.
If you’re interested in the city’s postwar past and energetic enough to attempt a 160km cycle trail, have a look at Berlin Wall Trail from the Bikeline series. Starting in the very hear of the city, on Potsdamer Platz, the route follows the course of The Wall and the rest of the boundary between West Berlin and the DDR.
For the best street plan I recommend Berlin Panoramic Map and Street Plan.
Author: Malgorzata Ross
Date: 5 September 2008
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