"The King" is back and telling people when they can cross the road. The German town of Friedberg is the latest German city to transform its traffic lights with famous characters.
Image: picture-alliance/F. Rumpenhorst
Advertisement
Elvis Presley is ready to help pedestrians rock 'n' roll across the street in the western German town of Friedberg near Frankfurt.
Three traffic lights featuring the "King's" image have been placed around the town's Elvis Presley Square to commemorate the singer.
While people are waiting to cross, the singer appears in the red light striking a pose at a microphone.
When the lights go green Elvis is shown swinging his hips in a famous dance move.
Elvis swinging his hips in one of the traffic lights in FriedbergImage: picture-alliance/F. Rumpenhorst
Local politician Marion Götz (SPD) told the Wetterauer Zeitung newspaper that the town had paid about €900 ($1,000) for the lights as an extra attraction for tourists.
Why is he there?
Presley had a strong connection with Friedberg, a town of around 28,000 inhabitants, located 26 kilometers (16 miles) north of Frankfurt in the state of Hesse.
He was stationed there from October 1958 until March 1960 while serving as a soldier in the US Army. He lived in nearby Bad Nauheim.
Elvis Presley in his US Army uniform while stationed in FriedbergImage: picture alliance /
It was there he met his future wife, Priscilla Beaulieu, whom he married after a seven-year relationship.
Both towns are keen to make sure no one forgets "the King," who died in 1977, or their connections to him.
While Friedberg first switched on the new traffic lights on Wednesday, Bad Nauheim holds the 'European Elvis Festival' and is planning a bronze statue of him.
Flowers and pictures of Elvis left at his memorial in Bad NauheimImage: picture-alliance/dpa/F. Rumpenhorst
Bad Nauheim has long been a site of pilgrimage for Elvis' fans, and people lay candles, flowers and gifts for him.
A little more action
According to Götz, it took three months for the police to give the go-ahead and then a local graphic designer to send his ideas to the manufacturer.
However, the work appears to have paid off, with the Wetterauer Zeitung reporting positive reviews.
"Good idea," "witty," "something a little different," were some of the reactions. One person added, "I did wonder about it, but as always I crossed on green."
Following a trend
Transforming traffic lights has become something of a trend in Germany.
The most famous are the Ampelmännchen in Berlin. Created in 1961 in what was then East Berlin, they now appear all over the united capital.
The city of Augsburg now has the Kasperl puppet character in a pointed hat, Mainz has its own Mainzelmännchen, Bonn has Beethoven traffic lights and in Trier a small, chubby Karl Marx lets pedestrians know when to cross. The eastern town of Erfurt has had up to 14 different kinds of lights since the 1980s.
45 years after his death, Elvis reaches fans from beyond the grave
The King lives on in the hearts and minds of fans worldwide. Also in Germany, where he was stationed as a GI, Elvis left a legacy. Here are some highlights and unusual facts from his storied musical career.
Image: dpa/picture alliance
From small-town boy to household name
Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, in 1935, Elvis Presley began his career in Memphis, Tennessee. He is pictured here in 1954 while recording at the famous Sun Studio in Memphis, which also helped launch blues guitarist B.B. King's career. Quickly rising to fame, Presley's first hit, "Heartbreak Hotel," propelled him into stardom in 1956. He would go on to become known as the "king of rock and roll."
Image: picture alliance / ASSOCIATED PRESS
A GI in Germany
Presley put his career on hold while serving in the US military in Germany from 1958 to 1960. Stationed in the small town of Friedberg, Presley stayed in a hotel in nearby Bad Nauheim instead of living in the barracks. There, he lived with an entourage: his grandmother, father and two bodyguards. Today, hotel guests can sleep in the Elvis Room, which was preserved to commemorate the King's stay.
Image: Bodo Marks/dpa/picture alliance
Made in Germany
Although he was prohibited from performing during military service, the King still found time to make music. Germany was the birthplace of two chart-toppers: "One Night" and "A Fool Such as I." He also gave global fame to the popular German folk song, "Muss i denn zum Städtele hinaus," or in English, "Wooden Heart."
Image: United Archives/picture alliance
Happily ever after?
While Elvis was stationed in Germany, he also met Priscilla Beaulieu, the daughter of a US military officer. She was just 14 years old at the time. The couple married years later at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas in 1967, although Elvis reportedly continued to enjoy the company of other women.
Image: Bert Reisfeld/dpa/picture alliance
Profiting after death
Elvis passed away at his residence, Graceland, on August 16, 1977. Graceland is the second-most-visited home historical residence in the US, after the White House. It's run by a multi-million dollar company called Elvis Presley Enterprises — making it unsurprising that Elvis regularly hits the top of Forbes' annual "Top-Earning Dead Celebrities" list.
Image: Jerzy Dabrowski/dpa/picture alliance
The King lives on
His legacy is honored all over the world, including at the "European Elvis Festival" in Bad Nauheim, Germany. Elvis also has official fan clubs in at least 38 countries. And of course, "The King" graces stamps as well: Germany issued an Elvis stamp in 1988.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/EPA/T. Maury
License to suit up
Legend has it that Elvis adopted the jumpsuit after he split his pants while performing on stage. Whatever the reason, the garment was an instant hit. B&K, a company in Charlestown, Indiana, creates Elvis jumpsuits based on the originals, such as for impersonator Dave Stovall (pictured). The company also created suits for the 2022 film "Elvis."
Image: Brian Cahn/Zumapress/picture alliance
Inspiration from Hollywood
Elvis has inspired an entire industry of impersonators, as well as films like "Bye Bye, Birdie" (1967), based on his career. But who inspired the King? Elvis was known to enjoy the music of gospel singer Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and once called actor James Dean (pictured) a "genius."
Image: akg-images/picture-alliance
Inspiration for Hollywood
June 2022 saw the life story of Elvis Presley, played by Austin Butler (pictured), hit movie theaters. The film focuses on the complicated relationship with his shady manager, Colonel Tom Parker (played by Tom Hanks). Director Baz Luhrmann set electrifying music and stage scenes; and Butler has been celebrated for his fantastic portrayal of "The King."
