German town where Elvis was stationed as a soldier installs traffic lights showing the singer’s trademark dance moves
View(s):The German town where Elvis Presley was stationed as a U.S. soldier has installed three pedestrian lights with dancing images of the American rock icon.
The red light shows a picture of the singer striking a pose at a microphone while the green depicts his trademark hip swivel dance.
The lights have been installed in the central German town of Friedberg, where Elvis, who died in 1977, was stationed at the U.S. Army’s Ray Barracks from October 1958 to March 1960.
Friedberg, north of Frankfurt, already has an ‘Elvis Presley Platz’ – Elvis Presley Square.
But town officials decided to add the three lights as an added attraction for the many Elvis fans who already make the pilgrimage to the town.
Elvis, who was one of the biggest stars in the world, was called up for national service with the US army in early 1958 and joined the 3rd Armored Division. He was sent to Germany but was allowed to live off-base with his father and grandmother.
The singer also employed a secretary during his time in Germany to answer fan mail and he signed autographs every evening for the fans who gathered outside the army base.
He also made sure his record company continued to release his songs during his military career and he had ten top 40 hits while he was in the army.
Shortly after he moved to Germany, Elvis was introduced to a then 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu, whose step-father was also based in Germany with the air force, during a party at his home.
He took an instant liking to her and the pair were practically inseparable during the rest of his time in Germany. They stayed in touch when he went back to America and Priscilla moved to the singer’s Graceland estate in 1963. The couple married in 1967 but split in 1973.
© Daily Mail