Photo Gallery Pedestrian Signals Around the World

Designed 50 years ago, the East German pedestrian signal has gained cult status, inspiring everything from keychains to T-shirts in its image. While the Ampelmann was the first such figure to wear a hat, other crosswalk figures from around the world also cut an interesting silhouette, ranging from the portly to the ponytailed.
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With their distinctly round and simple design, the legendary figures on East German traffic lights were designed in 1961 by a man named Karl Peglau and his secretary. Eight years later, Peglau’s creation would finally get its big break, alerting pedestrians across the German Democratic Republic when to cross the street. In addition to the figures’ trademark hats, the East German lights differed from their counterparts in the West with their corpulence. Rather than having slim arms and legs, they enjoyed an almost plump appearance, something Peglau hoped would give the men a “brighter” look.

Foto: ampelmann.de
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The fact that the arms were outspread rather than hanging at their sides was the most significant difference between the traffic men of East and West Germany. Back in the 1950s, the Federal Republic of Germany still had pedestrian signals bearing the words “Stop” and “Go” that were modeled after the American design. Eventually pictograms would replace illuminated words in West Germany, too. Based on these traffic men in the West are also...

Foto: ampelmann.de
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...today’s EU crosswalk signals. A result of European efforts at conformity among traffic signals, the figures on modern traffic lights are even thinner than their West German predecessors. But the East German traffic men haven’t met their maker quite yet -- cities and towns still decide for themselves which pedestrian signal they prefer. These photos are provided by Ampelmann.de.

Foto: ampelmann.de
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In the Benelux countries and Austria, pedestrians can find traffic lights that resemble real human forms more than anywhere else. These women are taking a stroll in the Netherlands...

Foto: ampelmann.de
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...and these couples wait for the light to change in Belgium. But it’s the Danes who are the most creative. Authorities there apparently love historical references. Whether...

Foto: ampelmann.de
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...in the Danish town of Fredericia, where these soldiers pay tribute to the Battle of Fredericia in 1849 during the First Schleswig War, or...

Foto: ampelmann.de
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...with a fairytale light in honor of the great Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen, crossing the streets of Germany’s northern neighbor can be quite amusing.

Foto: ampelmann.de
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In Europe, one is hard pressed to find pedestrian signals as minimalistic as they are in the French capital of Paris.

Foto: ampelmann.de
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Whoever the model was for Greece's stop signal here remains a mystery. (Maybe a weightlifter?)

Foto: ampelmann.de
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Here's a crosswalk signal in China.

Foto: ampelmann.de
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Pedestrian signals in Guadeloupe are rather thin.

Foto: ampelmann.de
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And a little less-so in Indonesia.

Foto: ampelmann.de
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Italy's red man is one of the brawniest in Europe.

Foto: ampelmann.de
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In Japan, as in former East Germany, crosswalk signal men also wear hats.

Foto: ampelmann.de
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This Colombian crosswalk guide is also rather beefy.

Foto: ampelmann.de
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In Majorca, which happens to be a favorite vacation destination among Germans, pedestrian signals also wear hats.

Foto: ampelmann.de
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In the wealthy princedom of Monaco, someone still saw fit to cut corners with crosswalk signals, ignoring the red man's arms. But to make up for it the green signal got a nice jacket -- and no one was the worse for wear.

Foto: ampelmann.de
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In Mongolia the traffic signals have an other-worldy appeal.

Foto: ampelmann.de
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In Austria, the signals include bikes.

Foto: ampelmann.de
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Poland keeps their pedestrian signals simple, on the other hand.

Foto: ampelmann.de
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In Spain...

Foto: ampelmann.de
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...as in Taiwan, pedestrian signals look like early computer game animations from. As time to cross the street runs out in Spain, the walking man even picks up his pace.

Foto: ampelmann.de
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This crosswalk signal is in Thailand.

Foto: ampelmann.de
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Karl Peglau, the inventor of the man on East German traffic lights, poses in 2007 in Berlin next to an oversized model of his cult figure design. Peglau died in December 2009. His dream that ‘his’ traffic light might someday help pedestrians across Europe cross the street never came to fruition.

Foto: dapd
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Entrepreneur Markus Heckhausen came to Berlin in 1995. Fascinated by the red and green figures, the product designer built lamps in the shape of the East German traffic men, thereby turning Peglau’s design into a cult symbol. In court, Heckhausen fought a legal battle...

Foto: dapd
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...with a man who had already manufactured products modeled after Peglau’s traffic men. Pitting West versus East, the dispute over the trademark rights in 2005 gained huge media attention. On the side of the “Westerners,” Heckhausen also fought the inventor Karl Peglau. Heckhausen was able to convince the initially skeptical Peglau of his idea and hired him after he became unemployed following the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Heckhausen eventually won the case.

Foto: dapd