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The present study examines the role of the Ampelmännchen (little traffic light man) in German culture and public space. The history of the traffic light and the Ampelmännchen is presented, with the first traffic light being installed in London in 1868. In the 1950s, the first pedestrian traffic lights were introduced, and in the two German states, different Ampelmännchen developed. After reunification, the East German Ampelmännchen received their characteristic features and became a symbol of East German identity. The Ampelmännchen has found a place in the collective memory of Germany and can be found on various everyday objects. It embodies a non-political image of everyday life in the GDR and conveys its message in a functional way. [Extracted from the article]