Kulturstaatsminister Wolfram Weimer openly admitted to being a long-time enthusiast of the Eurovision Song Contest. Speaking to the broadcaster ntv, he described the experience as creating a collective, “proper ESC family” atmosphere, where watching the show involves snacks, soft drinks, and the television running louder than usual.
This year, the independent politician was particularly pleased about Israel’s participation, especially considering various countries had opposed the inclusion. According to Weimer, there were strong possibilities in the fall that the ESC, as usual, might not take place. From the beginning, his own German position had been clear: Israel deserved to sing. He views the spirit of the contest as one of “peaceful international understanding and cheerful tolerance” stressing that music and culture should remain primary, rather than politics. Weimer noted that in the current situation, it was clearly perceptible that antisemitism played a role.
He highlighted the importance of the ESC in the context of difficult world political times. “We live in a world where too many doors of freedom are closing. Democracy is struggling globally, and despots are busy redrawing the world map. For Europe and its values, this is a defining moment-a point that determines our future. In this scenario, the ESC acts as a cultural element of freedom that we should not allow to be damaged”.
Regarding the final, Weimer expressed his support for German participant Sarah Engels. “I was already at the semi-final, so I experienced her performance live. What I like about her is her energy, her enthusiasm for music, and her joyous love for the show. Although she is rather in the middle ground according to the betting odds, I hope she performs well. I am certainly rooting for her, hoping that a strong performance at the ESC will convince many people. Sarah Engels definitely has the talent to do it”.