Germany was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 1987 with the song "Laß die Sonne in dein Herz", composed by Ralph Siegel, with lyrics by Bernd Meinunger, and performed by the band Wind. The German participating broadcaster on behalf of ARD, Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR), selected their entry through a national final. This was the second of three appearances by Wind at Eurovision; they had previously finished second for Germany in 1985 and would return to the contest in 1992. The Eurovision performance included future Milli Vanilli member Rob Pilatus as a backing singer.[1]
Before Eurovision
Ein Lied für Brüssel
Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR) held the national final on 26 March 1987 at the Frankenhalle in Nuremberg, hosted by Christopher Deumling. Twelve acts presented their entries live and the winner was selected by a panel of approximately 500 people who had been selected as providing a representative cross-section of the German public.
Other participants included the following year's German entrants Maxi and Chris Garden, and Michael Hoffmann, who had represented Germany in 1983 as half of Hoffmann & Hoffmann with brother Günter (who had committed suicide in 1984).[2]
On the evening of the final Wind performed 16th in the running order, following France and preceding Cyprus. At the close of voting "Laß die Sonne in dein Herz" had received 141 points, placing Germany second of the 22 entries.[3] Only Greece failed to award any points at all to the song. The 1987 result was very clear-cut, with Germany finishing 31 points behind contest winners Ireland and 38 points ahead of third-placed Italy. The German jury awarded its 12 points to Italy.[4]
Wind became the first act, and to date still the only one, to have finished in second place twice at Eurovision.
The show was watched by 10.16 million viewers in Germany.[5]
