Germany held a national final to select the song that would represent Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest 1957. The winner was Margot Hielscher with the song "Telefon, Telefon".
Four songs competed in the national final.[4][5] The artists were accompanied by the Tanzorchester des Hessischen Rundfunks under the musical direction of Willy Berking.[3] A jury consisting of the directors of entertainment programs from different German broadcasters decided the winner.[4] Each juror distributed ten points among his favourite songs.[6] "Telefon, Telefon", composed by Friedrich Meyer [de], and with lyrics by Ralph Maria Siegel [de], won the national final with a large margin and was selected as the German entry.[5][7]
Germany was the host country of the Eurovision Song Contest 1957, held in Frankfurt, when there was still no format in place for the previous year's winning country to host the following year, and following Switzerland hosting and winning in 1956. "Telefon, Telefon" was conducted by Willy Berking and Hielscher performed seventh, following the Netherlands and preceding France. The song received eight points, placing fourth in a field of ten. The song's lyrics gave rise to what is generally considered the first "gimmick performance" in the contest history, with Hielscher in fact picking up a real telephone receiver during her performance. At the end of the song, she picks it up again and explains "on the telephone" that she can't talk anymore because her song is ending. It was succeeded as German representative at the 1958 contest by Hielscher again, with "Für zwei Groschen Musik".
Voting
Every country had a jury of ten people. Every jury member could give one point to his or her favourite song.
^ abcd"Vorentscheidung für den 'Grand Prix Eurovision 1957'". Deutsches Fernsehen. ARD-Pressedienst (in German). No. 6/57. 28 January 1957. p. 3. OCLC183304021.
^"Zwei auf einem Pferd - Das neue Fernseh-Quiz". Deutsches Fernsehen. ARD-Pressedienst (in German). No. 40/56. 24 September 1956. p. 1. OCLC183304021.
^ abcde"Fernsehprogramm: Woche vom 17. Februar bis 23. Februar". Funk- und Fernsehillustrierte. Süddeutsche Ausgabe (in German). Vol. 25, no. 8. 17 February 1957. pp. 24–26. OCLC724368653.
^ abc"Fernseh-Quiz mit Vorentscheidung zum 'Grand Prix Eurovision 1957'". Deutsches Fernsehen. ARD-Pressedienst (in German). No. 8/57. 11 February 1957. p. 5. OCLC183304021.
^hr-fernsehen; Stöffler, Christian (1 May 2007). Unser Lied für den Grand Prix – Die schönsten deutschen Beiträge (Television production) (in German). Hessischer Rundfunk.