May 24
First Eurovision Song Contest Held
The first Eurovision Song Contest brought seven European nations together in Switzerland for a live song competition that launched one of the continent's most enduring television traditions.
Summary
In the decade after World War II, European broadcasters sought ways to foster continental cooperation through the newly formed European Broadcasting Union. Switzerland hosted the inaugural contest on May 24, 1956, at the Teatro Kursaal in Lugano. Seven countries each submitted two songs performed live before a small audience and jury. Swiss entrant Lys Assia won with “Refrain.” The event lasted under two hours and marked the debut of what would become an annual pan-European tradition.
Context
In the decade after World War II, European broadcasters worked to restore cross-border connections through shared programming. The European Broadcasting Union, founded in 1950 by 23 organizations, focused on facilitating program exchanges and technical cooperation. Its Eurovision transmission network, launched in 1954, enabled live relays of events across multiple countries.
What Happened
An EBU Programme Committee, chaired by Swiss broadcaster Marcel Bezençon, developed the contest concept after Italian broadcaster RAI proposed it, drawing inspiration from the Sanremo Music Festival. The EBU General Assembly approved the plan in October 1955, and Switzerland offered to host. The event took place on the evening of 24 May 1956 at the Teatro Kursaal in Lugano, presented by Lohengrin Filipello with an orchestra conducted by Fernando Paggi.
Aftermath
Fourteen songs from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Switzerland were performed live before a small invited audience and a jury of two members from each country. Each juror scored every entry from one to ten in a secret ballot that allowed votes for national entries. Switzerland's "Refrain," performed by Lys Assia, was declared the winner; no other results were announced. The broadcast reached audiences in more than ten countries via the Eurovision network, though only audio survives.
Legacy
The contest continued the following year and expanded steadily, eventually drawing dozens of participating nations and becoming one of the world's longest-running international television events. It provided a consistent platform for cultural exchange and soft diplomacy during the Cold War while shaping popular music formats and national self-presentation across Europe.
Why It Matters
Eurovision established a durable platform for cultural exchange and soft diplomacy across Cold War Europe, eventually expanding to dozens of nations. It influenced popular music, television formats, and national identity expressions while generating one of the world’s longest-running international broadcasts.
Related Questions
What inspired the creation of the Eurovision Song Contest?
Italian broadcaster RAI proposed the idea, modeled on its long-running Sanremo Music Festival, and the EBU's Programme Committee refined it under Marcel Bezençon.
How many countries took part in the first contest?
Seven nations—Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Switzerland—each submitted two songs.
Who won the 1956 Eurovision Song Contest?
Swiss singer Lys Assia won with the song "Refrain."
Why is no video of the original broadcast available?
No complete footage survives from the live transmission, although audio recordings and the winner's reprise performance exist.
How did the voting system work in 1956?
Each country sent two jurors who privately scored every song from one to ten; only the winning country and song were revealed at the end.
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Sources
- Eurovision Song Contest 1956, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-07-10.