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Eurovision Song Contest 1959
Participating broadcaster	Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR)
Country	Switzerland
National selection
Selection process	Grand Prix Suisse de la Chanson Eurovision 1959
Selection date(s)	22 February 1959
Selected artist(s)	Christa Williams
Selected song	"Irgendwoher"
Selected songwriter(s)	Lothar Löffler
Placement
Final result	4th, 14 points
Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest
◄1958 • 1959 • 1960►

Switzerland was represented in the Eurovision Song Contest 1959 with the song "Irgendwoher", written by Lothar Löffler, and performed by Christa Williams. The Swiss participating broadcaster, the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR), selected its entry through a national final after having used one previously in 1956 and 1957, but choosing to internally select in 1958.

Before Eurovision

Grand Prix Suisse de la Chanson Eurovision 1959

Format

Grand Prix Suisse de la Chanson Eurovision 1959 consisted of two semi-finals, each consisting of eight songs, and a final with nine songs. Each semi-final was voted on by a 40-member jury in Basel, Geneva, Lugano, and Zurich, which were a combination of representatives of the public and representatives from the music industry. In the final, four groups of fifteen-member juries from Basel, Lausanne, Lugano, and Zurich voted on the nine songs. The composers of the songs were kept anonymous until after the results of the final were announced.

Competing Entries

The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR) received 262 submissions. On 14 and 15 November 1958, a jury appointed by SRG SSR chose sixteen to compete in Grand Prix Suisse de la Chanson Eurovision 1959. Eight entries were sung in French, seven in German, and one in Italian.

First Semi-Final

The first semi-final of Grand Prix Suisse de la Chanson Eurovision 1959 was held on 15 December 1958 in Geneva, and hosted by Colette Jean, and Pierre Billon. All eight French songs were performed in this semi-final. The songs that failed to qualify are "Berceuse", "C'est fou c'que tu ressembles à ta mère", "Les jours sont bien trop courts pour moi", and "Romance pour un chien", but it's unknown who performed them. Les Quatre Jeudis performed as the interval act during the voting.

Second Semi-Final

The second semi-final of Grand Prix Suisse de la Chanson Eurovision 1959 was held on 12 January 1959 in the Bâsel Studios, in Basel, and hosted by Trudi Roth and Albert Werner. The seven German songs and one Italian song were performed in this semi-final. Anita Traversi, Christa Williams, and Jo Roland performed all the songs in this semi-final, with the latter two artists performing three of the songs as a duo, however it's unknown which songs they sang. Nuk the Clown [de] performed as the interval act during the voting.

Final

The final was held on 22 February 1959 in the Théâtre de Beaulieu in Lausanne and was presented by Claude Evelyne and Joël Curchod. The voting consisted of regional jurors from Basel, Zürich, Lugano, and Lausanne. Among the participants was Mathé Altéry who previously represented France in the 1956 contest. Les Guaranis performed as the interval acts during the voting. At the close of the voting, Christa Williams emerged as the winner with the song "Irgendwoher" after gaining 9 points from Lugano and 5 from Zürich.

At Eurovision

At the Eurovision Song Contest 1959 in Cannes, the Swiss entry was the eighth entry of the night following Sweden and preceding Austria. At the close of voting, Switzerland had received fourteen points in total; finishing in fourth place out of eleven countries.

The Swiss entry was conducted at the contest by Franck Pourcel.

Voting

Every participating broadcaster assembled a jury panel of ten people. Every jury member could give one point to his or her favourite song.

Points awarded to Switzerland Score Country 5 points  United Kingdom 3 points  Sweden 2 points  Denmark 1 point  Austria  Belgium  Germany  Monaco

Points awarded by Switzerland Score Country 3 points  Italy  United Kingdom 1 point  France  Denmark  Germany  Austria

References

1. ^ "Grand Prix Suisse de la Chanson Eurovision 1959. Deuxième Demi-Finale". Radio Je vois tout - télévision. 8 January 1959. p. 27 – via Scriptorium.
2. ^ "Grand Prix Européen de la Chanson 1959". Radio Je vois tout - télévision. 21 November 1958. p. 6 – via Scriptorium.
3. ^ "Le Grand Prix européen de la chanson". Radio Je vois tout - télévision. 11 December 1958. p. 26 – via Scriptorium.
4. "La Suisse a fait bonne figure à Cannes". Scriptorium. 2 April 1959. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
5. "2es Eliminatoires suisses du Grand Prix Eurovision de la chanson". Radio Je vois tout - télévision. 8 January 1959. p. 20 – via Scriptorium.
6. ^ "La deuxième demi-finale du Grand Prix suisse de la chanson Eurovision 1959". 29 January 1959. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
7. "C'est' à Lausanne qu'aura lieula finale suisse du Grand Prixde la chanson Eurovision". Radio Je vois tout - télévision. 19 February 1959. p. 11 – via Scriptorium.
8. ^ "SWISS NATIONAL FINAL 1959". natfinals.50webs.com. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
9. ^ "La Suisse ne vivrait pas longtemps si elle n'avait que des chansons "sélectionnées" à exporter... ...ou les aspects d'un concours radiophonique". Nouvelle revue de Lausanne. 23 February 1959. Retrieved 23 October 2024 – via Scriptorium.
10. ^ "La finale suisse du Grand Prix de la chanson Eurovision: Si vous aviez été du jury, auriez-vous voté pour la chanson « Irgendwoher»?". Scriptorium. 26 February 1959. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
11. ^ "Results of the Final of Cannes 1959". Eurovision Song Contest. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2024.

• Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest
• Countries in the Eurovision Song Contest 1959
• 1959 in Switzerland