Status: 16.01.2024, 13:40 PM
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Hertha BSC mourns the loss of its president Kay Bernstein. © Andreas Gora/dpa
Hertha BSC mourns the loss of its president. Kay Bernstein died suddenly, as the Berlin second division football team announced. It's not just football Germany that is shocked.
Berlin - President Kay Bernstein of second division football club Hertha BSC has died unexpectedly at the age of 43. This was announced by the Berliners on Tuesday. "The entire association, its committees and employees are stunned and deeply dismayed. The Hertha family mourns with Kay's surviving relatives and is in thoughts with his family, friends and companions at this difficult time," it said in a statement.
At the same time, the club asked to "respect the privacy of the family after this terrible event". Initially, nothing was known about the circumstances.
Post on X
German football reacted with great sadness. "We are stunned and deeply saddened to receive the news of Kay Bernstein's death," the German Football League wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Numerous clubs also expressed their sympathy on social networks.
Great sympathy
There was also a lot of sympathy from politicians. "I am deeply saddened by the sudden death of Kay Bernstein," wrote Green Party chairman Omid Nouripour at X. Berlin's Governing Mayor Kai Wegner added: "At the age of 43, he was in the middle of life. With his Berlin path, he has only just succeeded in reuniting fans and club. My thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time."
Bernstein was once the lead singer of the club in the Ostkurve and was also socially involved at Hertha. At the general meeting on June 26, 2022, he was surprisingly elected president against the favored CDU politician Frank Steffel and another competitor. He succeeded Werner Gegenbauer, who had led the club for a long time. It was supposed to be a new beginning for the crisis-ridden club. His election was also a slap in the face for the Hertha establishment, which in parts openly wanted to push through its opponent Steffel.
"The news of Kay Bernstein's death has completely shocked me," wrote Steffel, who is president of the Füchse Berlin, shortly after the terrible news became known to X: "In numerous encounters and conversations, I have come to appreciate him as a warm person. That's how I'll remember him fondly."
Ex-Ultra at the top of the club
An ex-ultra at the helm of a club that was still playing in the Bundesliga at the time was a novelty. Bernstein always addressed problems clearly. He made the club and the office more approachable again. This was not only evident with his ubiquitous Hertha training jacket, which he wore most of the time. "So much more would have been possible on this path, but it has now gone, and much too early," wrote Energie Cottbus.
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For Hertha, the death is a big shock. In the 2nd Bundesliga, the capital club is in seventh place after 17 matchdays. On Sunday, coach Pal Dardai's team will play their first game of the year against Fortuna Düsseldorf at the Olympic Stadium. Dpa