Germans fret no one likes them after Eurovision dud

Aside from the highest-possible 12 points from Bulgaria -- one of "No Angels" emigrated from that country and now hosts a pop song contest in Bulgaria -- the Swiss gave two points.

PARTISAN VOTING?

"We delivered a great performance but the viewers didn't recognise it," said Bulgarian-born German singer Lucy Diakowska.

"It was the insult at Belgrade -- what a disaster," said Thomas Hermanns, who hosted a German after-show fest in Hamburg.

"It's just unbelievable and so, so, so stupid," said NDR television's Eurovision analyst Jan Feddersen. "No Angels" were the most successful girl group in continental Europe in 2003.

"Other countries got support from their neighbours. Germany didn't get any support at all from its neighbours."

Die Welt agreed with Wogan and blamed the voting system.

"As in past years the 'eastern European Mafia' at the Song Contest is stirring our blood," Die Welt wrote. "Russia won thanks to considerable help from its neighbours. The Russian song wasn't bad but it wasn't any better than the rest."

Even though Germany shares borders with nine countries, it has a turbulent past -- having invaded most of these nations. Six decades after World War Two, there is a lingering sense that Germans are still being penalised.