ESC 2/3: Why the Eurovision Song Contest has always been political
Even the first ESC was political in its own way. And there have been dozens of examples of political actions or statements since it was founded in 1956. In the past, this seemed even more possible than it does today. Why is that the case?
Editor: Silvan Zemp
ESC historian Dean Vuletic emphasises that either political or sexual provocation was necessary to attract attention at the Eurovision Song Contest. He points to political statements such as the use of Jewish Holocaust survivor Walter Andreas Schwarz by the young Federal Republic of Germany at the first ESC in 1956, which emphasised the political dimension of this competition from the very beginning. Musicologist Saskia Jaszoltowski emphasises the difficulty of defining political performances, as they can often be subtle, for example through symbols or song lyrics. Both Vuletic and Jaszoltowski agree that the political dimension of the ESC is multi-layered and cannot be completely avoided. In addition, the previous restriction for former Eastern Bloc countries to participate in the ESC until 1990 is discussed, which led to the organisation of the Intervision Song Contest in these countries. Karel Gott took part in both competitions in 1968, presenting a political song about the separation of East and West in the Western European ESC.