Not much of East Berlin remained intact after reunification. The West invested billions to rebuild the infrastructure. But when the German administrators suggested that all pedestrian crossing signals adopt the signals used in the West, the East Berliners kicked up a fuss. There was no way they were going to give up the beloved ‘Ampelmann’ crossing signals. The signals were not only part of their cultural identify but also cleverly designed. The traffic psychologist who designed the Ampelmanns realised that many folks are colour blind and didn’t relate to a green=go and red=stop system. Instead he came up with cute little figures.

Nowadays, the Ampelmann is very much a symbol of Berlin and an important component of the tourism business and the East Germany nostalgia movement.

There are remnants of life as it was prior to the fall of the Wall in present-day Berlin, but you have to look hard. But at every street intersection in the area that was formerly East Berlin you are offered just a taste of life before the Wall came down.