Ample Man

There's no denying that Berlin had it's fair share of lonely and melancholy moments. But there was one constant bringing a smile to my face, and despite my strong independence I will confess that my joy came from a man.

But no ordinary man, the East Berlin ampelmann.

Dotting the streets of the city in the former East, the portly yet stoic red man and the arguably phallic green never failed to bring a smile to my face. Designed in 1961 by an East German traffic psychologist (apparently a real profession under Communism) the ampelmann (ampelmen?) were designed to help humans react and cross at safer times.

Ironically the cuteness of little red and the enigmatic arm of not so little green were nearly responsible for many accidents as I attempted to capture them on film before they are relegated to history. This was nearly the case in 1994 when they began to be replaced in reunified Germany. But such an uproar followed their gradual disposal that they are now a cult icon.

Ampelmnan has gone capitalist in a big way and he's now available on everything from cookie cutters to ice cube trays, a far cry from the original lamps that were devised from the dismantled traffic lights. ) While I'm not keen on ampelmann putting himself about, I am happy that he should be here until the Eurocrats banish him (only West German or Euroman ampelman are allowed on main roads).

Even though it does mean that the roads are more dangerous while camera toting tourists enamored with the green man forget to walk when they see him...