**Countdown Grand Prix Eurovision**

Date:	March 7, 2003
Presenter:	Axel Bulthaupt
Venue:	Ostseehalle, Kiel
Voting:	Two rounds of televoting
Interval Act:	Modern Talking, Marie N
Winner:	Let's Get Happy performed by Lou

Germany was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2003 by Lou with the song "Let's Get Happy", written by Ralph Siegel and Bernd Meinunger. Germany's representative was chosen during a national final called Countdown Grand Prix Eurovision.

The national final was held at the Ostseehalle in Kiel on 7 March 2003.

After Germany finished 21st in the Eurovision Song Contest 2002, head of delegation Jürgen Meier-Beer wanted to renew the national final. In an interview, he said:

Nevertheless, the formula was similar as in recent years - the best known record labels in Germany were again asked to submit entries for the national final. Furthermore, five well-known newspapers and magazines were asked to submit one song each: Tabloid BILD submitted Elmar Brandt's project Die Gerd Show with a parody on Gerhard Schröder to Kiel, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung submitted DJMDG, die tageszeitung Senait, who was also supported by politician Claudia Roth, Freistil were submitted by teenager magazine Yam! and Tagträumer feat. Aynur by Turkish newspaper Hürriyet. Actually, 15 songs were supposed to be presented, but Joachim Deutschland and his song "Marie" were disqualified, because the singer had insulted the Bavarian minister-president Edmund Stoiber in one of his other songs and because of inappropriate lines in his entry.

Ich Troje took part as 'Troje' in the German national final although they had previously already won the Polish national final with "Keine Grenzen-Żadnych granic". They would have not been allowed to take part in the competition for two countries according to the rules. Later in Riga, the band would receive its only twelve points from Germany. Two of the acts have previously taken part in a German national final: Lou and Tagträumer, both in 2001.

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Wikipedia