7

King of Billing

“Not only street corners, pillars and fountains, even roofs and chimneys have been painted and inscribed by companies” Mr. Litfaß enthuses during a visit to Paris and raves on about the “giant adverts”, ready to be inspired by it.
The green memorial pillar at Münzstrasse near Alexanderplatz is easily overlooked though it marks the site of a revolutionary invention. On April 15th 1855 the first advertising pillar – aptly named “Litfaß-Säule” in German – was erected in this spot. The pillars soon were ubiquitous and earned their inventor the somewhat disrespectful nickname “Säulenheiliger” (stylite). But Ernst Theodor Amandus Litfaß also excelled as printer, publisher, event organiser and amateur artist. His grave can be found in the Dorotheenstadt cementery.