Picture of the Day: Ampelmann

Amplemann outside his store near Berliner Dom

This green guy is called Ampelmann.

He can be found on the crosswalk lights in Berlin.

When it's time to cross, you see Ampelmann have a wide stride in green, and when the light changes, he becomes red and his arms are stretched out like a cross as a signal to stop others from walking.

The story goes in Berlin, the most foot traffic was at Potsdamer Platz, where some 83,000 people crossed the area everyday.

In 1924 the first traffic lights were installed there -- it was actually an 8 metre-tall tower with lights on each of the four sides and manned by a person, but people on the ground didn't pay much attention to it and continued their habits of crossing the road at their own peril.

A traffic psychologist by the name of Karl Peglau developed the traffic men called Ampelmann and in 1961 his designs were submitted to Berlin, specifically East Berlin. The little men have pug noses and slight paunches, and wear a hat. A year later these little men were installed, and it wasn't until after the Berlin Wall came down in 1989 that people in West Berlin saw these cute street crossing signs and felt Ampelmann should be saved.

Today Ampelmann is so popular that Berlin has a number of stores selling products related to the red and green crossing men. You can buy mugs, T-shirts, key chains, canvas bags, baseball hats, bracelets, beach towels, and even pacifiers with these iconic logos.

Who knew such an important street safety sign would become emblematic of Berlin!