Today, as we mark the Day of German Unity, it’s the perfect time to dive into Germany’s Eurovision Song Contest journey! And what better way to celebrate than during the festive Oktoberfest season?
Germany is part of the prestigious “Big Five” – a group of countries that make the largest financial contributions to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and, in return, get an automatic spot in the grand final each year. Germany has the most impressive attendance in the contest, having debuted in 1956 and only missing out once in 1996, when they failed to pass the audio-only pre-selection round.
It holds two victories: first in 1982 with Nicole’s heartfelt ballad “Ein Bißchen Frieden,” and later in 2010 with Lena’s catchy pop hit “Satellite.” Despite these two wins, Germany has hosted the contest three times – in 1957, 1983, and 2011.
Germany’s performance in the 1980s was particularly impressive. In addition to their first win, they also secured second place four times (in 1980, 1981, 1985, and 1987). However, recent years have been more challenging. Between 2005 and 2024, Germany has only managed to finish in the top 10 on five occasions. Despite these struggles, Michael Schulte’s emotional performance in 2018 brought Germany back into the spotlight, finishing in the 4th place – the country’s second-best result of the 21st century.
Over the years, Germany has sent some well-known artists to Eurovision, including the dance-pop group Cascada in 2013 and the gothic rock band Lord of the Lost in 2023, who gained attention for opening Iron Maiden’s tour in 2022/2023.
Germany has already confirmed its participation in next year’s Eurovision in Basel. Will we see a famous superstar representing the country once again? Only time will tell!
