Brother Straubinger conquers the traffic lights: New pedestrian sensation in Straubing!

Brother Straubinger conquers the traffic lights: New pedestrian sensation in Straubing!

Since the beginning of November, something very special has taken shape on Steiner-Thor-Platz in Straubing: the pedestrian lights now feature the figure of “Brother Straubinger”. This charming innovation, which has already been acknowledged with a smile by many citizens, is an identification figure for the people of Straubing and shows a green traffic light man and a red waiting traffic light man, both equipped with a top hat and walking stick. The design comes from city planner Umberto Pigalotta and his colleague Devid Hang, while CSU city councilor Andreas Fuchs initiated the project, as straubing.de reports.

The financing of the traffic lights is a remarkable special feature: with a total cost of 2,320.50 euros, the new traffic light men were able to be realized entirely through donations without putting a strain on the city's coffers. Supporters included the Bruder Straubinger GmbH building cleaning company and the Tigers fan club “szene Straubing”, but committed city councilors also contributed to the financial success.

A touch of history

But who actually is this “Brother Straubinger”? The life-size bronze statue was erected in 1962 and now adorns Steiner-Thor-Platz, which has become a popular meeting place for people walking into the city center. The statue originally stood in the Wittelsbacher Park and now brings back many memories as it leads the parade of the Gäubodenvolksfest every year in August, as br.de explains.

The new traffic light men are not only reminiscent of local traditions, but are also part of a larger trend in Bavaria, where cities like Munich, Augsburg and Nuremberg have discovered special traffic light symbols. In Munich, for example, traffic lights with homosexual couples and Pumuckl are very popular, while Augsburg scores with Punch and Judy from the Augsburger Puppenkiste and Nuremberg has an idea for a traffic light with Albrecht Dürer's brown hare.

The impact on the community

Mayor Markus Pannermayr emphasized the identity-forming effect of “Brother Straubinger” and emphasized that such local symbols strengthen the sense of community. City councilor Feride Niedermeier and her colleagues Fuchs and Frischhut are convinced that the new traffic lights will not only provide safety for pedestrians, but will also be a popular photo opportunity.

An innovative concept that meets several needs: from road safety to promoting identification with the city to creating new, charming eye-catchers. The new traffic light men are proof that Straubing intelligently merges tradition with modernity, so that residents and visitors can feel equally at home.