| Name | Fernsprechhäuschen 83RS |
| Date | 1985 production |
| Manufacturer | Deutsche Bundespost Designed by Georg Glos oHG in Würzburg, it was first introduced in 1982, with production examples recorded in 1985. |
Development of the Fernsprechhäuschen 83RS
| The Fernsprechhäuschen für Rollstuhlfahrer FeH R was a wheelchair-accessible public telephone booth developed in West Germany for the Deutsche Bundespost. Designed by Georg Glos oHG in Würzburg, it was first introduced in 1982, with production examples recorded in 1985. The “R” denotes Rollstuhlbenutzer (wheelchair user), reflecting its purpose. The project emerged from a 1978 design competition aimed at improving access to public telephones, as standard booths were too narrow, raised, and poorly configured for wheelchair users. Prototypes were tested from 1980 in 11 cities, with feedback collected directly from users. Unlike modified standard kiosks, the FeH R was a completely new design. It featured a large hexagonal footprint (approx. 1.8 × 1.8 m), level access with no threshold, and a wide, electrically operated door usable from inside and outside. Internally, it housed a Münzfernsprecher 20 (MünzFw 20) coin telephone mounted at a lower, accessible height. The structure used plastic and glass panels and followed the Bundespost’s yellow colour scheme, weighing around 700 kg. Around 600 units were ordered from 1983, but the design proved problematic. High costs, oversized interiors, and misuse—such as loitering or sleeping—led to maintenance issues, and some installations were removed after short periods despite their progressive intent. |
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