Crossing past and present : Ost-Ampelmannchen and the memory of the German Democratic Republic

Abstract

Despite his connection to daily life in East Germany; east Germans began replacing their chubby, hat-wearing pedestrian light figure (the Ost-Ampelmännchen, or Ampelmann) with the non-descript West German one in the euphoria of reunification. By the mid-1990s, however, east Germans began to see their old state differently, bringing back their Ampelmann as a reminder of the safety, security, and equality their old state possessed. Following his resurrection, Ampelmann transformed into a pop-culture icon as shops sprung up selling Ampelmann-branded products. From here, his popularity spread as Ampelmann lights appeared in western Germany and Ampelmann shops opened their doors not only in Berlin, but also in Tokyo and Seoul. East Germans supported this, declaring that his popularity showed that their past and its values could find a place in a globalizing world. In doing so, East Germans have used and rewritten their past to promote a more respectful and equitable alternative to modern life.