“Yes” replies an 80 year old gentleman when I ask him if he is from here, from Graal-Müritz.
So I follow-up asking if the building in front of us look differently 50 years ago and specially if it had green railings where the people queued up to buy ice cream?
“Sorry, I have been living here only for the last 25 years” 

But a waitress in a café, though not so old, confirms that this used to look up as I described.
And this is the story which happened there 50 years ago:
“Please, buy me an ice cream” I ask my dad during our father-son vacation.
“Here is the money, go ahead.”
“I don’t speak German!” I object
“You have been learning it for a year. Beat your way!“
So, I gather courage and line up in the green railings. When it is my turn, I use all my German skills and pronounce as clearly as possible:
„Ein Eis, bitte“
„Bla, bla, bla, bla“ replies the ice cream lady
„Ein Eis, bitte“ I give it a second try
„Bla, bla, bla, bla“
„Ein Eis, bitte“
„Bla, bla, bla, bla“ I hear again and look desperately at my dad standing two metres behind me. He just shrugs
„Ein Eis, bitte“
„Bla, bla, bla, bla“ comes out of her mouth and I run away through the green railing without any ice cream but full of anger and shame.
„Why did you not help me?“ I reproach my dad
„I just wanted you to beat your way. You can keep the money and try again”
“What was this bla bla she kept saying?”
“She just asked: Do you want whipped cream on it or not?”

Yes, I was furious and did not dare to try again then. 
But it gave me a great lesson for life.
So that today, in the same camping place, I was able to order the ice cream easily.  Finally.
Foremost, I thankfully sent a huge hug to my dad somewhere up there…