Rosa Mina Schärer, commonly known as Lys Assia, was a Swiss singer who won the first Eurovision Song Contest in 1956. When she was a young girl, she was a dancer. In 1940, however, she stood in for a female singer. People who heard her singing liked it, so she changed from dancing to singing.
In 1956 she was the winner of the very first Eurovision Song Contest, in which she sang for Switzerland. She had also been in the German national final of that year and returned to the contest again for Switzerland in 1957 and 1958. Schärer married Johann Heinrich Kunz on 11 January 1957 in Zürich. Kunz died just nine months later after battling a serious illness.
Lys has performed for monarchs all around the world and is the matriarch of the Eurovision Royal Family herself, hence her sometimes being called "The Queen of Eurovision". She has entertained various audiences since the 1940s, and she’s also famous for her trademark black dress and a tiny dog called Cindy as well as her incredible charming aura. Over the past few years, she has been called up as a guest of honour and waved to about 200 million people on live television.
She is one of five artists today who has won in one year and finished second in another year (along with Gigliola Cinquetti, Linda Martin, Elisabeth Andreassen and Dima Bilan), and was the first to do so.
Lys Assia was given a tiara and throne at the Eurovision's Greatest Hits concert in relation to her title.
Lys passed away on 24 March 2018 at the age of 94.
| Eurovision Song Contest 1956 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Participants | |||
 Jetty Paerl •  Lys Assia •  Fud Leclerc •  Walter Andreas Schwarz •  Mathé Altéry •  Michèle Arnaud •  Franca Raimondi • Corry Brokken • Lys Assia • Mony Marc • Freddy Quinn • Dany Dauberson • Michèle Arnaud • Tonina Torrielli
| |||
| Songs | |||
| De vogels van Holland • Das alte Karussell • Messieurs les noyés de la Seine • Im Wartesaal zum großen Glück • Le temps perdu • Ne crois pas • Aprite le finestre • Voorgoed voorbij • Refrain • Le plus beau jour de ma vie • So geht das jede Nacht • Il est là • Les amants de minuit • Amami se vuoi
| |||
| Eurovision Song Contest 1957 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Participants | |||
Bobbejaan Schoepen • Danièle Dupré •  Patricia Bredin • Nunzio Gallo •  Bob Martin • Corry Brokken • Margot Hielscher • Paule Desjardins •  Birthe Wilke & Gustav Winckler • Lys Assia
| |||
| Songs | |||
| Straatdeuntje • Amours mortes (tant de peine) • All • Corde della mia chitarra • Wohin, kleines Pony? • Net als toen • Telefon, Telefon • La belle amour • Skibet skal sejle i nat • L'enfant que j'étais
| |||
| Eurovision Song Contest 1958 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Participants | |||
Domenico Modugno • Corry Brokken • André Claveau • Solange Berry •  Alice Babs • Raquel Rastenni • Fud Leclerc • Margot Hielscher • Liane Augustin • Lys Assia
| |||
| Songs | |||
| Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu • Heel de wereld • Dors, mon amour • Un grand amour • Lilla stjärna • Jeg rev et blad ud af min dagbog • Ma petite chatte • Für zwei Groschen Musik • Die ganze Welt braucht Liebe • Giorgio
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Trivia[]
- Lys is only one of two Swiss-born artists to win Eurovision for their country, the other is 2024 winner Nemo.
Videos[]
Interview with Lys Assia (first Eurovision Song Contest winner)