What is "ampelmannchen"

Ampelmännchen (; literally little traffic light men, diminutive of Ampelmann ) is the symbol shown on pedestrian signals in the former East Germany, now a part of Germany. Prior to German reunification in 1989, the two German states had different forms for the Ampelmännchen, with a generic human figure in West Germany, and a generally male figure wearing a hat in the east.

The Ampelmännchen is a beloved symbol in Eastern Germany, "enjoy[ing] the privileged status of being one of the few features of communist East Germany to have survived the end of the Iron Curtain with his popularity unscathed." After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Ampelmännchen acquired cult status and became a popular souvenir item in the tourism business.