Sandmännchen children's television character turns grey into a colourful display – design junction boxes unveiled in Mahlsdorf

Three newly designed boxes around the Sandmännchen monument at Ullrichplatz/idea proposed by the Stromnetz Berlin Citizen Council

13.06.2023

There are around 17,500 junction boxes in Berlin. Stromnetz Berlin has already transformed more than 8,500 of these grey boxes into a vibrant feast for the eyes, with motifs ranging from a sea of flowers to a football star. Three more junction boxes with special motifs can now be found around Ullrichplatz in Berlin-Mahlsdorf. They depict the hero from the children’s television series Sandmännchen at the site of the Sandmännchen monument, which was inaugurated at the start of 2023. The Sandmännchen is immortalised on a raft, on a bicycle and spreading sleeping sand. The directly elected delegate for Kaulsdorf and Mahlsdorf, Katharina Günther-Wünsch, the Mayor of Marzahn-Hellersdorf, Nadja Zivkovic, Marzahn-Hellersdorf District Council for School, Sport, Further Education, Culture and Facility Management, Stefan Bley, and Claudia Rathfux, Authorised Representative and Head of Customer and Market Relations at Stromnetz Berlin, unveiled the Sandmännchen boxes today (13/06).

Those in attendance also included: Michael Wiedemann, initiator of "Ein Denkmal für unser Sandmännchen", Walter Gauks, Head of Lyra e.V., and Sonja Hoffmann and Christian Hauthal, members of the Citizen Council from Stromnetz Berlin. The motifs licensed by rbb media GmbH were applied on the junction boxes by graffiti artist Mario Winkler, Managing Director of Motiv-Wunsch.

The directly elected delegate for Kaulsdorf and Mahlsdorf, Katharina Günther-Wünsch, had the following to say: "Junction boxes depicting the Sandmännchen character at Ullrichplatz – a huge thank you to Stromnetz Berlin! This creative campaign enhances the area around Ullrichplatz with the new Sandmännchen monument. My thanks go to the initiators and Stromnetz Berlin who made this project possible. I am sure many fans and friends of the Sandmännchen will be delighted."

Nadja Zivkovic, Mayor of Marzahn-Hellersdorf: "I am delighted the Sandmännchen, a hero and friend of many children, is now suitably represented with a monument and on the junction boxes in Mahlsdorf, the place where he was born."

Stefan Bley, District Council for School, Sport, Further Education, Culture and Facility Management: "A piece of my own childhood and that of my children is now also a visible part of Mahlsdorf. I wish the Sandmännchen lots of "energy" for generations to come – hopefully not just on the junction boxes." 

Claudia Rathfux, Head of Customer and Market Relations at Stromnetz Berlin, says: "The idea for designing the Sandmännchen junction boxes at this special location came from the Stromnetz Berlin Citizen Council, which was founded in 2022. We look forward to further input from the committee." 

You can find out more about the Stromnetz Berlin Citizens Council on the Citizens Council page

Note: The images below can be used free of charge for editorial purposes. Please include the following as a photo reference: Stromnetz Berlin/stageview – 2023 rbb and MDR, licensed by rbb media GmbH

Katharina Günther-Wünsch (directly elected delegate for Kaulsdorf and Mahlsdorf, from right to left), Claudia Rathfux (Head of Customer and Market Relations at Stromnetz Berlin) and Nadja Zivkovic (Mayor of Marzahn-Hellersdorf) in front of one of the newly designed junction boxes.

Sandmann on tour.

On this junction box sandman also scatters dream sand during the day.