Germany has attempted to participate in every Eurovision Song Contest since its beginning in 1956, although its entry in 1996 did not qualify past the preselection round, and therefore was not seen in the broadcast final and does not count as one of Germany's 64 appearances. No other country has been represented as often.
France and the United Kingdom come in a close second, missing only two contests each. Before German reunification in 1990, it occasionally presented as West Germany. East Germany did not compete. Germany has won two contests, in 1982 and 2010. Although German contestants have had limited success compared to their neighbors, public interest remains high and the contest is one of the most watched events each year.
After finishing in last place 2 years in a row, ARD/NDR decided to return to the talent show-style national final format for 2017, the format that brought success for both Lena (winner 2010, top 10 2011) and Roman Lob (top 10 2012). It paid dividends in 2018, when Michael Schulte gave Germany its first top-5 finish since Lena's win in 2010.