Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest 1982

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807 songs were submitted for the German selection.{{Cite book |last=Feddersen |first=Jan |title=Ein Lied kann eine Brücke sein. Die deutsche und internationale Geschichte des Grand Prix Eurovision |publisher=Hoffmann und Campe |year=2002 |isbn=3-455-09350-7 |location=Hamburg |pages=188–189 |language=de |oclc=48966334}} A jury composed of 13 members chose 24 of them which then were presented on ARD's radio stations. A jury of 500 members then chose twelve entries for the national final.

{{lang|de|Bayerischer Rundfunk|i=no}} (BR) held the German national final, {{lang|de|Ein Lied für Harrogate}}, on 20 March at its Studio 4 in Unterföhring, hosted by Carolin Reiber and Rudolf Rohlinger. The final was broadcast on {{lang|de|Deutsches Fernsehen|i=unset}} and on radio station {{ill|NDR 2|de}}.{{cite news |title=Fernsehen – Heute |trans-title=Television – Today |url=https://ezeitung.nordschleswiger.dk/titles/dernordschleswiger/5642/publications/9749/pages/32 |access-date=8 November 2024 |work=Der Nordschleswiger |date=20 March 1982 |location=Aabenraa, Denmark |page=32 |language=de}}{{cite news |title=Das bringt der Hörfunk – Sonnabend |trans-title=This is what the radio brings – Saturday |url=https://ezeitung.nordschleswiger.dk/titles/dernordschleswiger/5642/publications/9749/pages/32 |access-date=8 November 2024 |work=Der Nordschleswiger |date=20 March 1982 |location=Aabenraa, Denmark |page=32 |language=de}}

Twelve songs made it to the national final, which was broadcast by BR to ARD broadcasters across West Germany. The winner was decided by a sampling of 507 viewers who were meant to symbolize a fair representation of the country's population. Each person gave every song a vote, from 1 (for worst) to 12 (for best). Therefore, the theoretical "worst score" a song could receive would be 500, and the "best score" would be 6000. Three of the competitors previously represented other countries: French singer Séverine won the {{escyr|1971||1971 contest}} for {{esccnty|Monaco}}, Paola previously represented her native {{esccnty|Switzerland}} at two different contests ({{escyr|1969}} and {{escyr|1980}}), and Jürgen Marcus previously represented {{esccnty|Luxembourg}} at the {{escyr|1976||1976 contest}}. Additionally, Mary Roos had represented Germany in {{escyr|1972}}, and would return as the German representative {{escyr|1984||two years later}}.

The winning entry was "{{lang|de|Ein bißchen Frieden|i=no}}," performed by Nicole and composed by Ralph Siegel with lyrics by Bernd Meinunger.

{{wikinews|Eurovision '82 winner Nicole talks about 'Ein bißchen Frieden', her success and the Contest today}}

Nicole was the eighteenth and final performer on the night of the Contest, following {{esccnty|Ireland|y=1982}}. At the close of the voting the song had received 161 points, placing first in a field of 18 competing countries.{{cite web |title=Final of Harrogate 1982 |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/harrogate-1982/final |publisher=European Broadcasting Union |access-date=14 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414065752/https://eurovision.tv/event/harrogate-1982/final |archive-date=14 April 2021 |url-status=live}} A 61-point gap was recorded between Nicole and the second-place finisher, Avi Toledano from {{esccnty|Israel|y=1982}}, setting a then record for the largest gap between first and second place.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} Only {{esccnty|Luxembourg|y=1982}} did not award Germany any points.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

Known members of the German jury were Siegfried Doppler{{Cite web |last=Kuhnert |first=Volker |date=22 May 2020 |title=Mit den Stars bestens bekannt |url=https://www.rheinpfalz.de/lokal/ludwigshafen_artikel,-mit-den-stars-bestens-bekannt-_arid,5067434.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022065942/https://www.rheinpfalz.de/lokal/ludwigshafen_artikel,-mit-den-stars-bestens-bekannt-_arid,5067434.html |archive-date=22 October 2020 |access-date=15 October 2023 |website=Die Rheinpfalz |language=de}} and Horst Senker.{{Cite news |last=Kinkel |first=Sandra |date=12 May 2018 |title=Eine Plattform, die Menschen verbindet |language=de |page=13 |work=Aachener Nachrichten. Dürener Nachrichten |oclc=644256886}}

The show was watched by 13.81 million viewers in Germany.{{Cite web |last=Quotenmeter |last2=AGF |last3=GfK |title=TV-Reichweite des Eurovision Song Contests in den Jahren 1976 bis 2023 nach der Anzahl der Zuschauer |url=https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/182955/umfrage/tv-reichweite-des-eurovision-song-contest-seit-1976/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=18 August 2023 |website=Statista}}

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{{Main|Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest}}

"Ein bißchen Frieden" was one of fourteen Eurovision songs chosen by fans and the EBU to participate in Congratulations, the fiftieth-anniversary contest. It was the only German entry in the contest. Unlike the majority of other living entrants, Nicole was unable to attend, so the performance simply combined a dance troupe with footage of Nicole's 1982 performance. It was followed by a pre-taped greeting from Nicole. "Ein bißchen Frieden" was performed fifth, following "Eres tú" and preceding "Nel blu dipinto di blu." After the first round, "Ein bißchen Frieden" was not one of the five songs chosen to proceed to the next round. It was later revealed that the song finished seventh, with 106 points. Notably, in spite of it being a major international hit and their only winning entry at the time (they would later win again five years later with Lena's "Satellite" at the {{Escyr|2010}} contest), Germany only awarded "Ein bißchen Frieden" three points in the first round, with their twelve going instead to ABBA's "Waterloo." Their twelve points in the second round were awarded to "Nel blu dipinto di blu."

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{{Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest}}

{{Eurovision Song Contest 1982}}

{{Congratulations (Eurovision)}}

1982

Category:Countries in the Eurovision Song Contest 1982

Eurovision