She is moderating the preliminary decision for the eighth time
Barbara Schöneberger and her ESC story
Barbara Schöneberger has been an integral part of the German ESC world for years.
© NDR/SWR/Benno Kraehahn
Barbara Schöneberger is once again moderating the German ESC preliminary round. She has also taken on other tasks in the ESC universe.
Barbara Schöneberger (49) has been a fixture in Germany for years ESC cosmos. “For me, the Eurovision Song Contest is just as much a part of the year as Christmas and Carnival,” the presenter once summed it up. She will moderate the German ESC preliminary round on February 16th for the eighth time, making her the record holder. Axel Bulthaupt (57) hosted the show six times in the early 2000s and is behind her. But Schöneberger also took on other ESC tasks.
The 49-year-old moderated the preliminary decision for the Eurovision Song Contest under the motto “Our Song for Denmark” for the first time in 2014. This was followed by appearances in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2022 and 2023. In 2019 she presented “Our Song for Israel” together Linda Zervakis (48). In 2018, Elton (52) and Zervakis moderated, and in 2020 and 2021, juries decided without a preliminary decision as to who would take part in the “Eurovision Song Contest” with which song. For her moderation of “Eurovision Song Contest 2023 – Our Song for Liverpool”, Schöneberger was honored last September at the German Television Prize for the best individual performance in the entertainment sector.
During the Eurovision Song Contest, which usually takes place in May, Schöneberger is the face of the ARD program around the ESC. She usually presents the countdown and after-show from Hamburg. Since 2015, she has also announced the results of the German jury vote as a points speaker and is included in the official ESC final show. In 2019 she also set a record. The NDR announced at the time: “For the fifth time, Barbara Schöneberger will announce the jury points from Germany live in the ESC final – no one before her has taken on this task as German ‘spokesperson’ so often.” In 2023 the German countdown was shown live from Liverpool, so she was not allowed to take over the scoring and Elton stepped in. According to the regulations, the score speakers must always be in their respective country in order to be able to announce the scores.
“The best thing about the ESC is always that I can freak out with the dress,” said Schöneberger in an interview with “ESC compact”, explaining her enthusiasm for the fashionable advantages of the ESC. In 2023 she presented the countdown in a colorful dress covered in macarons. “Honestly, I think that’s great, otherwise I always have to hold myself together.” The Reeperbahn is also one of the premium events every year “with a great atmosphere, funny people and great acts on our stage. For me it’s always so great that we watch the ESC together with everyone, including the German one Jury, which has already voted, then you will also get a little more information.”
The history of the German ESC preliminary decision
For the ESC, which has existed since 1956, the German preliminary round has been broadcast on television with interruptions since 1960. In the first few years, various ARD state broadcasters took over production. NDR has been the organizer since 1996. There were also collaborations with ProSieben and Stefan Raab (57), which resulted in, among other things, the show “Our Star for Oslo”, in which Lena Meyer-Landrut (32) won and later emerged as the ESC winner. The preliminary round was held in different cities. In 2023, “Our Song for Liverpool” took place in Cologne, this time “The German Finale 2024” will take place in Berlin.