Photo Gallery: Pedestrian Signals Around the World
10/06/2011
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, Peglaus 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.
