> As for why you didn't see similar constructions in other cities, this was definitely an unusually large telephone office for the time
For some perspective here - it took until the mid-80s for most of Germany to be connected to a phone line. That is, the 1980s.
I recently talked about that with my father after I found a postcard from one of my uncles from the early 80s confirming meeting and dinner plans. While I remember them always having a phone they were one of the households only connected in the mid 80s - which in retrospect explains some of the things I've found odd about them when talking to them by phone. It was a new thing for them.
(My parents got connected early on - my mother used to work for the post office in the phone exchange, and one of the perks of the job was priority for getting a phone line. Which also explained why we had an old grey phone, while pretty much all my friends had a relatively modern - for the time - one: they all only somewhat recently got phones)
For some perspective here - it took until the mid-80s for most of Germany to be connected to a phone line. That is, the 1980s.
I recently talked about that with my father after I found a postcard from one of my uncles from the early 80s confirming meeting and dinner plans. While I remember them always having a phone they were one of the households only connected in the mid 80s - which in retrospect explains some of the things I've found odd about them when talking to them by phone. It was a new thing for them.
(My parents got connected early on - my mother used to work for the post office in the phone exchange, and one of the perks of the job was priority for getting a phone line. Which also explained why we had an old grey phone, while pretty much all my friends had a relatively modern - for the time - one: they all only somewhat recently got phones)