I do not know what is more entertaining: The Eurovision Song Contest itself or the reactions the day after. As you already know Germany did not do very well, we ended up 23rd. Actually we came in last together with Great Britain and Poland. As in Germany the Eurovision Song Contest is something really important, Germany is in state of shock or should I say in state of denial?
Bild am Sonntag asks today: “Why doesn’t anyone like us?” and “Are we too stupid to win or is it simply we’re not liked?”
Given Germany`s performance that is a funny question. Our girls did not always hit the right tone and well, some do look good in short dresses and others do not. But I am glad to hear that the “No Angels” still believe they did a great job: “We delivered a great performance, but the viewers didn’t recognise it.”
Now that is an interesting excuse. But here is even better:
Even though Germany shares borders with nine countries, it has a turbulent past — having invaded most of these nations. Six decades after World War Two, there is a lingering sense that Germans are still being penalised.
Germans regularly encounter resentment across Europe. In Austria, they are referred to derogatorily as “Piefke”, in Britain, they’re known as “Krauts” and parts of Spain have been turned into virtual German colonies by tourists and. In Poland, which lost a fifth of its population during the war, historic enmity is never far below the surface.
The loud, aggressive behaviour some intoxicated German tourists display abroad also doesn’t help. *
Blame the viewers, blame the voting system, blame the past, …
Surprisingly nobody has yet thought of this excuse, - as Russia won the contest, in my view the most likely one:
Putin manipulated the vote!
* “Germans fret no one likes them after Eurovision dud” by Erik Kirschbaum, May 25, 2008