What was the first host country to win the Eurovision Song Contest?

The Eurovision Song Contest 1956 was the first Eurovision Song Contest, held at the Teatro Kursaal in Lugano, Switzerland on Thursday 24 May.

Organised by the European Broadcasting Union, the pan-European music competition was inspired by the Italian Sanremo Music Festival. Lohengrin Filipello hosted the first contest which lasted approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes. Seven countries participated, with each of them performing two songs. Two jury members from all participating countries cast their votes in secret, based on which song was their favourite.

Lys Assia was the winner of the very first Eurovision Song Contest, in which she sang for Switzerland, the host nation. Born Rosa Mina Schärer on 3 March, 1924 in Rupperswil, Aargau. She began her stage career as a dancer, but changed to singing in 1940, after successfully standing in for a female singer.