Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest 1988

  • Ralph Siegel
  • Bernd Meinunger
Finals performanceFinal result14th, 48 pointsGermany in the Eurovision Song Contest
◄1987 1988 1989►

Germany was represented by mother and daughter duo Maxi and Chris Garden with the song "Lied für einen Freund", at the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 30 April in Dublin. "Lied für einen Freund", written by prolific Eurovision duo Ralph Siegel and Bernd Meinunger, was the winner of the German national final, held on 31 March. Maxi and Chris Garden had finished second in the 1987 German final.

Before Eurovision

Ein Lied für Dublin

The final took place on 31 March 1988 at the Frankenhalle in Nuremberg, hosted by Jenny Jürgens. Twelve acts presented their entries live and the winner was selected by a panel of approximately 600 people who had been selected as providing a representative cross-section of the German public. Among the other participants was Cindy Berger, who had represented Germany as half of Cindy and Bert in 1974.[1]

One of the songs which failed to qualify for the 1988 German national final, "Das Beste" by male-female duo Duett, later became embroiled in controversy when it was entered by the same performers in the 1990 Austrian selection, which it duly won in dramatic circumstances after the female singer had appeared to faint onstage during the initial performance. When the song's previous history subsequently came to light, Austrian broadcaster ORF had no choice but to disqualify it as a clear violation of Eurovision rules, handing the 1990 Austrian ticket to original runner-up Simone Stelzer.

Final – 31 March 1988
Draw Artist Song Songwriter(s) Points Place
1 Thomas and Thomas "Träumen kann man nie zuviel" Jean Frankfurter, Irma Holder 2,388 12
2 Tommy Steiner "Insel im Wind" Hanne Haller, Bernd Meinunger, Ramona Leiß 3,185 6
3 Tammy Swift "Tanzen geh'n" Ralph Siegel, Bernd Meinunger 3,172 7
4 Bernhard Brink and Gilda "Komm' ins Paradies" Matthias Reim, Jörg Wiesner, Ingrid Reith 3,538 3
5 Michaela "Ein kleines Wunder" Rainer Pietsch, Bernd Meinunger 3,171 8
6 G. G. Anderson "Hättest du heut' Zeit für mich" Ekki Stein, G. G. Anderson, Siegward Kastning 3,508 4
7 Rendezvous "Du bist ein Stern für mich" Hans-Rolf Schade, Werner Petersburg, Jutta Gröters 2,826 10
8 Ann Thomas "Regenbogenland" Hanne Haller, Bernd Meinunger, Ramona Leiß 3,351 5
9 Heartware "Ich geb' dir mein Herz" Jacques van Eijck, John Möring 3,021 9
10 Maxi and Chris Garden "Lied für einen Freund" Ralph Siegel, Bernd Meinunger 4,475 1
11 Christian Francke "In deiner Hand" Christian Franke, Andrea Andergast 2,596 11
12 Cindy Berger "Und leben will ich auch" Rainer Pietsch, Bernd Meinunger 3,769 2

At Eurovision

On the night of the final the duo performed 11th in the running order, following Ireland and preceding Austria. At the close of voting, "Lied für einen Freund" had received 48 points, placing Germany 14th of the 21 entries.[2] The German jury awarded its 12 points to contest winners Switzerland.[3]

The show was watched by 8.61 million viewers in Germany.[4]

Voting

Points awarded to Germany[5]
Score Country
12 points
10 points
8 points
7 points
6 points
5 points
4 points  Norway
3 points  Spain
2 points  Portugal
1 point  Turkey
Points awarded by Germany[5]
Score Country
12 points   Switzerland
10 points  United Kingdom
8 points  Turkey
7 points  Ireland
6 points  Netherlands
5 points  Israel
4 points  Denmark
3 points  France
2 points  Italy
1 point  Norway

References

  1. ^ ESC National Finals database 1988
  2. ^ "Final of Dublin 1988". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 16 April 2021. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  3. ^ ESC History - Germany 1988
  4. ^ Quotenmeter; AGF; GfK. "TV-Reichweite des Eurovision Song Contests in den Jahren 1976 bis 2023 nach der Anzahl der Zuschauer". Statista. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Results of the Final of Dublin 1988". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 16 April 2021. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  • v
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ParticipationArtists
Songs
  • "Always on the Run"
  • "Anouschka"
  • "Aufrecht geh'n"
  • "Ein bißchen Frieden"
  • "Black Smoke"
  • "Blood & Glitter"
  • "Bonne nuit ma chérie"
  • "Can't Wait Until Tonight"
  • "Diese Welt"
  • "Dieser Traum darf niemals sterben"
  • "Disappear"
  • "Dschinghis Khan"
  • "Einmal sehen wir uns wieder"
  • "Feuer"
  • "Flieger"
  • "Frauen regier'n die Welt"
  • "Frei zu leben"
  • "Für alle"
  • "Für zwei Groschen Musik"
  • "Ghost"
  • "Glorious"
  • "Guildo hat euch lieb!"
  • "Heute Abend wollen wir tanzen geh'n"
  • "Ein Hoch der Liebe"
  • "I Can't Live Without Music"
  • "I Don't Feel Hate"
  • "Im Wartesaal zum großen Glück"
  • "Is It Right"
  • "Johnny Blue"
  • "Junger Tag"
  • "Lass die Sonne in dein Herz"
  • "Let's Get Happy"
  • "Lied für einen Freund"
  • "Ein Lied kann eine Brücke sein"
  • "Man gewöhnt sich so schnell an das Schöne"
  • "Marcel"
  • "Miss Kiss Kiss Bang"
  • "No No Never"
  • "Nur die Liebe läßt uns leben"
  • "Paradies, wo bist du?"
  • "Perfect Life"
  • "Planet of Blue"
  • "Primaballerina"
  • "Reise nach JerusalemKudüs'e Seyahat"
  • "Rockstars"
  • "Rücksicht"
  • "Run & Hide"
  • "Satellite"
  • "Sing Sang Song"
  • "Sister"
  • "So geht das jede Nacht"
  • "Die Sommermelodie"
  • "Standing Still"
  • "Taken by a Stranger"
  • "Telefon, Telefon"
  • "Telegram"
  • "Theater"
  • "Träume sind für alle da"
  • "Über die Brücke geh'n"
  • "Verliebt in Dich"
  • "Viel zu weit"
  • "Violent Thing"
  • "Wadde hadde dudde da?"
  • "Wer Liebe lebt"
  • "Wir geben 'ne Party"
  • "Wunder gibt es immer wieder"
  • "You Let Me Walk Alone"
  • "Die Zeiger der Uhr"
  • "Zeit"
  • "Zwei kleine Italiener"
  • Note: Entries scored out signify where Germany did not compete
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Countries
Final
Disqualified
  • Cyprus
Artists
Final
Disqualified
  • Yiannis Dimitrou
Songs
Final
  • "Ben Adam"
  • "Chanteur de charme"
  • "La chica que yo quiero (Made in Spain)"
  • "Clown"
  • "Croire"
  • "For vår jord"
  • "Go"
  • "Ka' du se hva' jeg sa'?"
  • "Laissez briller le soleil"
  • "Lied für einen Freund"
  • "Lisa Mona Lisa"
  • "Mangup"
  • "Nauravat silmät muistetaan"
  • "Ne partez pas sans moi"
  • "Shangri-La"
  • "Stad i ljus"
  • "Sufi"
  • "Take Him Home"
  • "Þú og þeir (Sókrates)"
  • "Vivo (Ti scrivo)"
  • "Voltarei"
Disqualified
  • "Thimame"