Switzerland was represented at theEurovision Song Contest 1956 with two songs: "Das alte Karussell" written by Georg Betz-Stahl, and "Refrain" composed byGéo Voumard, with lyrics byÉmile Gardaz. Both songs were performed byLys Assia. The Swiss participating broadcaster, theSwiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR), selected its entries through a national final. In addition,Radio svizzera italiana (RSI), on behalf of SRG SSR, was the host broadcaster and staged the event at theTeatro Kursaal inLugano. "Das alte Karussell" was the first-ever entry from Switzerland performed in theEurovision Song Contest, and the first-ever entry in German in the contest; while "Refrain", that eventually won the contest, was the first-ever winner in its history.
For their national selection, theSwiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR) opened a public submission period between January and 20 February 1956 for interested songwriters to submit their compositions.[1] Only songwriters with Swiss citizenship or having been residing in Switzerland for at least ten years were allowed to participate.[1] 402 songs were submitted, with half of them with German lyrics, a third in French and the rest in Italian.[2][3] A jury assembled in Lugano chose eleven of them for the national final.[2][4]
Eleven songs were sung by Jo Roland,Anita Traversi andLys Assia.[3][6] They were accompanied by the Orchestra Radiosa under the direction ofFernando Paggi.[6] Seven songs were sung in French, three in German, one in Italian.[9] Four entries had been written by Radio Lausanne's ownÉmile Gardaz andGéo Voumard.[3] The accordionist duo Les Frères Domergue and the harmonica group Trio Hill Billy's were interval acts.[7][10] The puppet group Compagnie des marottes and André Robert seem to have also participated in the show.[6][11]
A professional jury of nine members watched the songs from inside the studio, and then decided the winning songs in a secret vote, with three members each representing each of the languages German, French and Italian.[3][12] One of the jury members was Father Kaelin.[13]
The winners were the songs "Refrains", composed byGéo Voumard and written byÉmile Gardaz, and, "Das alte Karussell", written and composed by Georg Betz-Stahl. Both songs were performed byLys Assia.[7][14][15]
"Das alte Karussell" was performed second and "Refrain" was performed ninth in the running order, both following theNetherlands and precedingBelgium's two entries.[18] Both of the Swiss entries were conducted at the contest by the musical directorFernando Paggi.[18] "Refrain" was arranged by Mario Robbiani.[20]
Each participating broadcaster appointed two jury members who voted by giving between one and ten points to each song, including those representing their own country.[21] All jury members were colocated in a separate room in the venue in Lugano and followed the contest via a television set.[18] The Swiss jury members were Father Pierre Kaelin andRolf Liebermann who also acted as president of the jury.[22][3][23]
After the jury had held its vote, "Refrain" was announced as the winner of theEurovision Song Contest 1956.[19] The placements of all other participating entries are not known.[19]
^Consistently spelled as "Refrains" in reports about the national final[8][9][16] but as "Refrain" in the international Eurovision Song Contest in Lugano.[18][19]
^ab"Concours international de la chanson" [International Song Contest].Radio Je vois tout (in French). Vol. 34, no. 4. 26 January 1956. p. 152. Retrieved8 November 2023.
^"Das schwarze Brett: Großer europäischer Preis für die beste Schlagerkomposition 1956" [The bulletin board: Grand European Prize for the best hit composition 1956].Schweizer Radio-Zeitung (in German). No. 14/1956. 8 April 1956. p. 24.OCLC638310336.
^abc"Die Woche im Bildschirm" [The Week on Screen].Gong (in German). No. 17/1956. 22 April 1956. p. 21.OCLC1183386385.
^"Samedi 28 avril: Sottens" [Saturday April 28: Sottens].Radio Je vois tout (in French). Vol. 34, no. 16. 19 April 1956. p. 750. Retrieved10 November 2023.
^abcdRoxburgh, Gordon (2012).Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest. Vol. One: The 1950s and 1960s.Prestatyn, United Kingdom: Telos Publishing. pp. 95–100.ISBN978-1-84583-065-6.
^abcO'Connor, John Kennedy (2010).The Eurovision Song Contest: The Official History (Updated ed.). London: Carlton. pp. 8–9.ISBN978-1-84732-521-1.OCLC699877063.
^"Alla canzone svizzera 'Refrain' il 'Gran Premio Eurovisione 1956'" [The Grand Prix Eurovision 1956 to the Swiss song 'Refrain'].Corriere del Ticino (in Italian). 26 May 1956. p. 2.ISSN1660-9646.OCLC1284212173.
^"Radio und Fernsehen" [Radio and television].Der Bund (in German). 23 May 1956. p. 6 (Abendausgabe). Retrieved8 November 2023.
^"Pro Memoria delle manifestazioni: Radio" [In memory of the demonstrations: Radio].Gazzetta Ticinese (in Italian). Vol. 156, no. 131. 9 June 1956. p. 2.OCLC1273525494. Retrieved8 September 2024 – via Sistemo bibliotecario ticinese.
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