For Germany it’s the 67^th time participating in the Eurovision Song Contest. Germany is one of the countries, which took part from the very beginning in 1956 until now, beside of one forced break in 1996.

Back in 1956, each country was allowed to submit two entries in the Eurovision Song Contest. Germany took advantage of this rule and entered both “Im Wartesaal Zum Grossen Glück” by Walter Andreas Schwarz and “So Geht Das Jede Nacht” by Freddy Quinn, both of which finished in second place. Interestingly, that year’s competition only had one winner, with all other participants coming in second place.

Moving forward to 1996, the Eurovision Song Contest introduced a pre-selection round to reduce the number of competing entries. In that year, Leon‘s song “Planet of Blue” failed to qualify for the final stage.

Germany has had a relatively successful run in Eurovision, having achieved six second places throughout the years. German entries have also performed well in the domestic charts, particularly during the 1970s and 1980s. However, it was in 1982 that a young girl named Nicole managed to capture the hearts of Europeans with a little song of peace called “Ein bisschen Frieden”. Many people believe that the song’s success was aided by the turbulent political climate of the time.

Germany had to wait for almost 30 years until another victory came in 2010, when Lena won with her unpretentious song called “Satellite”. The song gained high votes from all over Europe and became a number one hit in many European countries. Lena’s win was a great success for Germany after numerous attempts by German composers and songwriters, including Ralph Siegel, to bring the trophy back home. Both Nicole and Lena continue to be successful in the music industry.

Germany, along with France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom, are part of the Big 5 countries in Eurovision. These countries are the largest financial contributors to the EBU, and therefore, they are automatically granted a place in the Grand Finals without having to go through the semi-finals like the other participating countries.

Ralph Siegel is considered to be one of the most successful German composers in Eurovision history, having written a significant number of German entries over the years. In addition to his work for Germany, Siegel has also composed songs for other countries such as Luxembourg, Montenegro, and San Marino. Despite facing criticism from some quarters, Siegel has remained committed to the Eurovision spirit over the course of several decades.

The general interest in the Eurovision Song Contest varies from year to year in Germany. However, there was a surge in interest after Guildo Horn’s “Guildo hat Euch lieb” finished 7th in 1998. This entry created a real “Eurovision-fever” across the country. Popular German TV celebrity Stefan Raab played a big role in this as well. He even participated in the contest himself with the song “Wadde Hadde Dudde Da” in Stockholm 2000 and managed to finish in 5th place.

In 2011, Germany had the privilege of hosting the Eurovision Song Contest for the second time in 28 years. Following Munich in 1983, Dusseldorf was chosen as the host city. The German people demonstrated their love and enthusiasm for the ESC and also showcased their latest stage technology at the Esprit Arena in Dusseldorf. The event proved to be a major success for the city, the ESC, and ultimately, for the positive portrayal of Germany as a country passionate about Eurovision.

Regrettably, luck has not been on Germany’s side in recent years when it comes to the Eurovision Song Contest, with the exception of 2018 when Michael Schulte achieved an impressive 4th place in Lisbon with his song “You Let Me Walk Alone”. However, all other German entries since 2013 have consistently ranked near the bottom of the scoreboard.