Ralph Siegel

Ralph Siegel (born 30 September 1945) is a German record producer and songwriter. Siegel is one of the most notable figures at the Eurovision Song Contest, in which he has participated with 24 songs so far, among them the 1982 winner song Ein bisschen Frieden.

Life and career Ralph Siegel was born the son of composer and of singer Ingeborg Döderlein.

Siegel is a prolific producer in the German genre of Schlager music. Since the early 1970s, he worked with artists like Udo Jürgens, Mary Roos, Heino, Rex Gildo, Michael Holm, Chris Roberts, Costa Cordalis, Mireille Mathieu, Peter Alexander, Roy Black, Karel Gott and Marianne Rosenberg.

Since 1972 has participated with 24 songs in the Eurovision Song Contest, the latest being the 2017 Sammarinese entry "Spirit of the Night" by Valentina Monetta and Jimmie Wilson.

In 1982, Siegel's and Bernd Meinunger's song Ein bißchen Frieden (A Little Peace), performed by Nicole won the Contest and became a hit in Europe. In 2003, both writers had success with Let's Get Happy, performed by Lou which came in 11th. In February 2010, it was announced by RTÉ that he would have an entry in the Irish National Final-Eurosong 2010. The song titled River of Silence was performed by Lee Bradshaw. It finished in last place. He also composed 'C'était ma vie', performed by Lys Assia for representing Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest. She reached an 8th position in Swiss National Final.

Siegel organized a comeback event for the Disco band Dschinghis Khan in June 2018. Dschinghis Khan had been originally organized by Siegel and Dr. Bernd Meinunger to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest 1979. After the success of their first hit, Dschinghis Khan, both men continued to write popular songs for this band, including "Moskau" and "Hadschi Halef Omar". Siegel makes a rare appearance playing classical guitar in 1984 video footage of Dschinghis Khan performing "Corrida" and "Olé Olé".

In 2021, Siegel premiered his musical Zeppelin.

Personal life

Ralph Siegel's first marriage was to Dunja Siegel from Slovakia in 1975, with whom he had two daughters Giulia Siegel (born 1974) and Marcella Siegel (born 1976). The couple divorced in 1989.

In 1992 he married Dagmar Kögel, (née Weber). His third daughter Alana Siegel was born in 1996. The couple separated in 2002.

His third marriage to the soprano Kriemhild Siegel, (née Jahn), lasted from 2006 until the official separation in August 2014. The legal divorce then took place in 2016.

In 2015 he met the Swiss music manager Laura Käfer. After a three-year relationship, the couple got married in September 2018 in the church Grünwald near Munich. Laura Siegel brought her daughter Ruby Siegel (born 2000), (née Käfer) into the marriage.

Eurovision Song Contest participations + Table key 1st First place 2nd Second place 3rd Third place

YearCountrySongArtistFinalSemi-Final Place PointsPlacePoints "Bye Bye I Love You" Ireen Sheer 4 14 "Sing Sang Song" Les Humphries Singers 15 12 "Dschinghis Khan" Dschinghis Khan 4 86 "Theater" Katja Ebstein 2 56 "Papa Pingouin" Sophie & Magaly 9 128 "Johnny Blue" Lena Valaitis 2 132 "Ein bißchen Frieden" Nicole 1 161 "Children, Kinder, Enfants" Margo, Ireen Sheer, C. & M. Roberts, Olivier, Solomon 13 37 "Lass die Sonne in dein Herz" Wind 2 141 "Lied für einen Freund" Maxi & Chris Garden 14 48 "Frei zu leben" and Daniel Kovac 9 60 "Träume sind für alle da" Wind 16 27 "Wir geben 'ne Party" Mekado 3 128 "Zeit" Bianca Shomburg 18 22 "Reise nach Jerusalem – Kudüs'e seyahat" Sürpriz 3 140 "I Can't Live Without Music" Corinna May 21 17 "Let's Get Happy" Lou 11 53 "If We All Give a Little" six4one 17 30 "Just Get Out of My Life" Andrea Demirović 11 44 "The Social Network Song" Valentina Monetta 14 31 "Crisalide (Vola)" 11 47 "Maybe" 24 14 10 40 "Chain of Lights" Michele Perniola & Anita Simoncini 16 11 "Spirit of the Night" Valentina Monetta & Jimmie Wilson 18 1

National final participations