| Eurovision Song Contest 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country |  Germany | |||
| National selection | ||||
| Selection process | Unser Lied für Stockholm | |||
| Selection date(s) | 25 February 2016 | |||
| Selected artist(s) | Jamie-Lee | |||
| Selected song | "Ghost" | |||
| Selected songwriter(s) |
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| Finals performance | ||||
| Final result | 26th, 11 points | |||
| Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest | ||||
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Germany participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 with the song "Ghost" written by Thomas Burchia, Anna Leyne and Conrad Hensel. The song was performed by Jamie-Lee. The German entry for the 2016 contest in Stockholm, Sweden was selected through the national final Unser Lied für Stockholm, organised by the German broadcaster ARD in collaboration with Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR). The national final took place on 25 February 2016 and featured ten competing acts with the winner being selected through two rounds of public voting. "Ghost" performed by Jamie-Lee Kriewitz was selected as the German entry for Stockholm after placing first in the top three during the first round of voting and ultimately gaining 44.5% of the vote in the second round.
ARD and NDR had initially announced on 19 November 2015 that they had selected the soul and R&B singer-songwriter Xavier Naidoo to represent Germany in Stockholm. A song selection entitled Unser Song für Xavier was planned to be held in February 2016 and would have featured six songs performed by Naidoo with the winning song being selected via public televote. However, following the announcement that Naidoo had been selected to represent Germany, there was public and media backlash in regards to the choice. Naidoo was seen as unfit to represent Germany due to political, homophobic and racial statements the performer had made throughout his career. Two days following the broadcaster's announcement of Naidoo's selection, NDR reneged on their agreement and withdrew the performer as the German representative. ARD and NDR later announced that the German entry would be selected through a national final with the public determining the winner.
As a member of the "Big Five", Germany automatically qualified to compete in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest. Performing in position 10, Germany placed twenty-sixth (last) out of the 26 participating countries with 11 points.