Pedestrians in Kaiserslautern now have a new little green helper to guide them across the street in some locations.

New traffic lights featuring “Betzi,” the mischievous mascot of the 1. FC Kaiserslautern soccer team, were unveiled Monday at the intersection of Eisenbahnstrasse, Barbarossastrasse, and Logenstrasse near the downtown police headquarters.

The first installations of these playful signals—fittingly, the Red Devil mascot — are set along the path from downtown Kaiserslautern to Fritz-Walter Stadium, lighting the way for fans heading to the home of the Red Devils team.

When the light turns red, Betzi stands still, waiting, while at green, the mascot dribbles a soccer ball, urging pedestrians to cross. The idea for the custom signal figure came from Kaiserslautern-based advertising agency HCP Grauwild and was supported by Mayor Beate Kimmel, city officials said.

Kimmel was joined by city officials and soccer club representatives on Monday in celebrating the whimsical tribute to the team’s legacy mascot and the city’s soccer passion.

While the traffic lights will remain limited to select crosswalks, more are to follow in downtown after completion of the new city center, officials said Monday.

Kaiserslautern joins a growing list of cities using iconic local figures to enhance their pedestrian lights and foster a sense of identity. In nearby Trier, philosopher Karl Marx guides pedestrians safely across the street, while in Landau, a camel directs traffic near the zoo. Other cities feature figures such as reformer Martin Luther in Worms, a winemaker in Bad Duerkheim, and a pretzel boy in Speyer.

K-Town Fun