Who was Kay Bernstein for Hertha BSC?
- therookiereporters
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
From the terraces to the presidency – and from fan to symbol of a different kind of football.
When Kay Bernstein was elected president of Hertha BSC in June 2022, it was more than just a change of leadership. Bernstein wasn’t a millionaire investor, a seasoned executive, or a politician. He was something rarer: a supporter, an Ultra, a true son of the club.
His journey from the chanting stands of the Ostkurve to the presidential office made him one of the most unique figures in modern German football.
From the fan block to the boardroom:
Born in 1980 in Berlin, Bernstein grew up with the city – and with Hertha. He co-founded the Ultras group “Harlekins Berlin ’98”, becoming one of the leading voices of the club’s passionate support. For years, he was the man with the megaphone, leading songs and choreography, a figure instantly recognizable to anyone who had stood in the “Ostkurve”. Later, he stepped back from the active fan scene and built a career in communications and event management. But his bond with Hertha never faded.
By 2022, after years of turmoil, mismanagement, and disconnection between fans and the club, Bernstein decided to step forward.
He ran for president and won, against all odds and all conventions.
Leading through crisis:
When Bernstein took office, Hertha was in deep trouble, financially fragile, emotionally drained and still reeling from the failed “Big City Club” era under investor Lars Windhorst. Bernstein inherited chaos, but he faced it head-on. He didn’t hide behind corporate talk. He defended his coaches, supported his players, and constantly appealed for patience and realism. Hertha didn’t suddenly become a top team again, but under Bernstein, it began to feel like Hertha once more: proud, imperfect, but authentic.
A president with heart, not hierarchy:
Bernstein didn’t promise instant success or big money. He promised authenticity, humility, and dialogue. His message was simple: Hertha had to rediscover its soul. He wanted to rebuild bridges between fans, staff, and management, to bring unity back to a fractured club.
In his first speech as president, he said:
“We have to talk with each other again – not about each other. Hertha belongs to all of us.”
He opened the doors of the club, inviting supporters into discussions, listening to employees, and treating players and coaches as part of one community. For a club long divided by internal politics and investor drama, his leadership felt like a breath of fresh Berlin air.
A man of values:
Kay Bernstein was not a typical football president. He was outspoken, emotional, sometimes unconventional but always genuine. He believed football clubs should stand for people, culture, and community, not just business models and brand management. He wasn’t afraid to talk about social issues, to advocate for inclusion, and to remind the football world that emotion and integrity still matter. To many supporters, he embodied the Hertha they had always loved flawed but full of heart.
His sudden death – and what remains:
On January 16, 2024, Kay Bernstein passed away unexpectedly at the age of 43. The news shook not only Hertha but all of German football. At the next home match, the “Ostkurve” fell silent. Thousands stood in tears, blue-and-white flags waving softly in tribute. A massive banner stretched across the terrace read:
“One of us. Forever.”
Bernstein’s death left a void that cannot easily be filled. He had only begun his mission to reconnect Hertha with its roots — but even in that short time, he changed the way people saw the club and what leadership in football could mean.
Translation: “In loving memory of Kay Bernstein”
Article written by Jenny Manns
