Germany’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest marks its 69th appearance, showcasing its enduring commitment to the competition since its inception in 1956. With the exception of a mandated hiatus in 1996, Germany has been a steadfast participant throughout the contest’s history.

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In the inaugural year of 1956, each participating country was permitted to submit two entries. Germany seized this opportunity by entering both „Im Wartesaal Zum Grossen Glück“ by Walter Andreas Schwarz and „So Geht Das Jede Nacht“ by Freddy Quinn, both of which achieved second place. Interestingly, the competition that year saw only one winner, with all other participants finishing in second place.

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In 1996, the Eurovision Song Contest implemented a pre-selection round aimed at trimming the number of competing entries. Unfortunately, Leon’s song „Planet of Blue“ did not advance through this initial stage, consequently failing to qualify for the final round of the competition.

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Germany has enjoyed a relatively prosperous journey in the Eurovision Song Contest, securing six second-place finishes over the years. Moreover, German entries have often found success in the domestic charts, particularly during the vibrant music scenes of the 1970s and 1980s. However, it was in 1982 that a young talent named Nicole captured the hearts of Europeans with her stirring anthem of peace, „Ein bisschen Frieden.“ Many attribute the song’s triumph to the tumultuous political climate of the era.

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Following a nearly three-decade wait, Germany celebrated another momentous victory in 2010, courtesy of Lena and her charmingly simple tune, „Satellite.“ Lena’s song garnered widespread acclaim and high votes from across Europe, soaring to the top of the charts in multiple European countries. Lena’s triumph marked a significant success for Germany after years of efforts by composers and songwriters, including the renowned Ralph Siegel, to reclaim the coveted trophy. Both Nicole and Lena continue to thrive in the music industry, testament to their enduring talent and appeal.

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Germany, alongside France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom, comprises the prestigious group of Big 5 countries in Eurovision. These nations, being the largest financial contributors to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), enjoy the privilege of automatic qualification to the Grand Finals, bypassing the semi-finals that other participating countries must navigate.

Composer Ralph Siegel from Germany Photo: eurovisionlive

Ralph Siegel stands as one of the most accomplished German composers in Eurovision history, credited with penning numerous entries for Germany over the years. Beyond his contributions to the German repertoire, Siegel has also lent his talents to composing songs for other countries such as Luxembourg, Montenegro, and San Marino. Despite encountering criticism from certain circles, Siegel has steadfastly upheld the essence of Eurovision throughout his extensive career, demonstrating a profound dedication to the competition’s spirit across several decades.

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Interest in the Eurovision Song Contest tends to fluctuate from year to year in Germany. However, there was a notable surge in enthusiasm following Guildo Horn’s spirited performance of „Guildo hat Euch lieb,“ which secured a respectable 7th place in 1998. This entry ignited a genuine „Eurovision fever“ throughout the country, with popular German TV personality Stefan Raab playing a significant role in amplifying the excitement. Raab’s own participation in the contest with the catchy tune „Wadde Hadde Dudde Da“ in Stockholm 2000 further fuelled the fervour, culminating in a commendable 5th place finish.

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The Esprit Arena in the sunshine is prepared for the ESC Photo: eurovisionlive

In 2011, Germany had the honour of hosting the Eurovision Song Contest for the second time in 28 years. Following Munich in 1983, Düsseldorf was selected as the host city. The German people showcased their unwavering love and enthusiasm for Eurovision, while also highlighting the nation’s cutting-edge stage technology at the Esprit Arena. The event proved to be a resounding success, not only for Düsseldorf but also for Eurovision as a whole, ultimately presenting Germany in a positive light as a country deeply passionate about the contest.

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Unfortunately, Germany has experienced a streak of misfortune in recent editions of the Eurovision Song Contest, with few exceptions. Michael Schulte’s remarkable achievement of securing 4th place in Lisbon with his heartfelt song „You Let Me Walk Alone“ in 2018 stands out as a highlight. Last year’s song “Always On The Run” by Isaak made a 12th place in Malmö, a good position compared to recent years. However, apart from that success, German entries since 2013 have struggled to make a significant impact, often finding themselves near the bottom of the scoreboard. Since 2019, Germany has failed to resonate with both the juries and the televoters, reflecting a challenging period for the country’s Eurovision endeavours.

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Biggest successes

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1st place, Lena with “Satellite” (Oslo 2010)

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2nd place, Wind with “Für Alle” (Gothenburg 1985)

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2nd place, Katja Ebstein with ”Theater” (The Hague 1980)

History

  • Debut: 1956
  • Participations: 68
  • Victories: 2
  • Finals: 68
  • Top 10: 37
  • Chances to reach the Top 10: 54%
  • Best place: 1 (2x)
  • Last places: 9
# location year performer song points rank
1 Lugano 1956 Freddy Quinn So Geht Das Jede Nacht 2
2 Lugano 1956 Walter Andreas Schwarz Im Wartesaal Zum Großen Glück 2
3 Frankfurt 1957 Margot Hielscher Telefon, Telefon 8 4
4 Hilversum 1958 Margot Hielscher Für Zwei Groschen Musik 5 7
5 Cannes 1959 Alice and Ellen Kessler Heut‘ Woll’n Wir Tanzen Geh’n 5 8
6 London 1960 Wyn Hoop Bonne Nuit, Ma Chérie! 11 4
7 Cannes 1961 Lale Andersen Einmal Sehen Wir Uns Wieder 3 13
8 Luxembourg 1962 Conny Froboess Zwei Kleine Italiener 9 6
9 London 1963 Heidi Brühl Marcel 5 9
10 Copenhagen 1964 Nora Nova Man Gewöhnt Sich So Schnell An Das Schöne 0 13
11 Naples 1965 Ulla Wiesner Paradies, Wo Bist Du? 0 15
12 Luxembourg 1966 Margot Eskens Die Zeiger Der Uhr 7 10
13 Vienna 1967 Inge Brück Anouschka 7 8
14 London 1968 Wencke Myhre Ein Hoch Der Liebe 11 6
15 Madrid 1969 Siw Malmkvist Primaballerina 8 9
16 Amsterdam 1970 Katja Ebstein Wunder Gibt Es Immer Wieder 12 3
17 Dublin 1971 Katja Ebstein Diese Welt 100 3
18 Edinburgh 1972 Mary Roos Nur Die Liebe Läßt Uns Leben 107 3
19 Luxembourg 1973 Gitte Junger Tag 85 8
20 Brighton 1974 Cindy und Bert Die Sommermelodie 3 14
21 Stockholm 1975 Joy Fleming Ein Lied Kann Eine Brücke Sein 15 17
22 The Hague 1976 Les Humphries Singers Sing, Sang, Song 12 15
23 London 1977 Silver Convention Telegram 55 8
24 Paris 1978 Ireen Sheer Feuer 84 6
25 Jerusalem 1979 Dschinghis Khan Dschinghis Khan 86 4
26 The Hague 1980 Katja Ebstein Theater 128 2
27 Dublin 1981 Lena Valaitis Johnny Blue 123 2
28 Harrogate 1982 Nicole Ein Bißchen Frieden 161 1
29 München 1983 Hoffmann & Hoffmann Rücksicht 94 5
30 Luxembourg 1984 Mary Roos Aufrecht Geh’n 34 13
31 Gothenburg 1985 Wind Für Alle 105 2
32 Bergen 1986 Ingrid Peters Über Die Brücke Geh’n 62 8
33 Brussels 1987 Wind Laß Die Sonne In Dein Herz 141 2
34 Dublin 1988 Maxi & Chris Garden Lied Für Einen Freund 48 14
35 Lausanne 1989 Nino de Angelo Flieger 46 14
36 Zagreb 1990 Chris Kempers & Daniel Kovac Frei Zu Leben 60 9
37 Rome 1991 Atlantis 2000 Dieser Traum Darf Niemals Sterben 10 18
38 Malmö 1992 Wind Träume Sind Für Alle Da 27 16
39 Millstreet 1993 Münchener Freiheit Viel Zu Weit 18 18
40 Dublin 1994 MeKaDo Wir Geben ’ne Party 128 3
41 Dublin 1995 Stone and Stone Verliebt In Dich 1 23
42 Dublin 1997 Bianca Shomburg Zeit 22 18
43 Birmingham 1998 Guildo Horn Guildo Hat Euch Lieb 86 7
44 Jerusalem 1999 Sürpriz Reise Nach Jerusalem – Kudüs’e Seyahat 140 3
45 Stockholm 2000 Stefan Raab Wadde Hadde Dudde Da 96 5
46 Copenhagen 2001 Michelle Wer Liebe Lebt 66 8
47 Tallinn 2002 Corinna May I Can’t Live Without Music 17 21
48 Riga 2003 Lou Let’s Get Happy 53 11
49 Istanbul 2004 Max Mutzke Can’t Wait Until Tonight 93 8
50 Kyiv 2005 Gracia Run & Hide 4 24
51 Athens 2006 Texas Lightning No, No, Never 36 14
52 Helsinki 2007 Roger Cicero Frauen Regieren Die Welt 49 19
53 Belgrade 2008 No Angels Disappear 14 23
54 Moscow 2009 Alex Swings Oscar Sings! Miss Kiss Kiss Bang 35 20
55 Oslo 2010 Lena Satellite 246 1
56 Düsseldorf 2011 Lena Taken By A Stranger 107 10
57 Baku 2012 Roman Lob Standing Still 110 8
58 Malmö 2013 Cascada Glorious 18 21
59 Copenhagen 2014 Elaiza Is it right 39 18
60 Vienna 2015 Ann Sophie Black Smoke 0 27
61 Stockholm 2016 Jamie-Lee Ghost 11 26
62 Kyiv 2017 Levina Perfect Life 6 25
63 Lisbon 2018 Michael Schulte You Let Me Walk Alone 340 4
64 Tel Aviv 2019 S!sters Sister 24 25
65 Rotterdam 2021 Jendrik I Don’t Feel Hate 3 25
66 Turin 2022 Malik Harris Rockstars 6 25
67 Liverpool 2023 Lord of the Lost Blood & Glitter 18 26
68 Malmö 2024 Isaak Always On The Run 117 12
69 Basel 2025 Abor & Tynna Baller

Video Nostalgia

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Lale Andersen with “Einmal Sehen Wir Uns Wieder”, Rank 13 (Cannes 1961)

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Silver Convention with “Telegram”, Rank 8 (London 1977)

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Ingrid Peters with “Über Die Brücke Geh’n”, Rank 8 (Bergen 1986)