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German ‘SOS’ kiosk/column

Started by countryman, February 03, 2022, 03:17:23 AM

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countryman

Not an actual kiosk but more a SOS call box or -column.
I know of at least 4 of them in my neighbourhood (in Germany). They must be over 50 years old, more likely 60? At least they're older than me. I was told they were installed when still not every household had a telephone. IIRC there used to be a blue flashing light on top of them. Not unusual so far.
The bizarre part must have begun in the early eighties when those call boxes were considered needless with every house having a phone. The city council wanted to avoid the cost of removal and gave away the columns to the local taxi operator, maybe suggesting they might be used to call taxis. The operator decided not to look into the gifted horse's mouth, although the expenses for the (postal) copper lines to the dispatch center were unthrifty to say the least. They cancelled the lines, painted the columns pink and but their phone number on it instead. And so the columns stand...and stand...
Nice that they were not scrapped, but I'm afraid it will happen some day?