On a ski vacation
Former DFB young player had a fatal accident
Updated 12/23/2025 – 4:27 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
A German had an accident on a skiing holiday in Montenegro on Sunday. Now it is clear: he was no stranger.
The German former professional footballer Sebastian Hertner died in an accident with a ski lift in Montenegro. The accident happened on Sunday, but so far all that was known was that the dead man was a 34-year-old German.
Hertner’s current football club, the upper division team ETSV Hamburg, is now publicly mourning him: “It is with deep sadness that the board of ETSV Hamburg says goodbye to our club member and player Sebastian Hertner, who was torn from our midst far too early,” it says on the club’s homepage.
“With him we are not only losing a committed player, but also a valued person who enriched our club with his demeanor, his commitment and his camaraderie,” it continues. “His work and personality will always be remembered with honor.”
The club expresses its sadness to the family and loved ones. The club announced on Instagram that Hertner had had a fatal accident while on vacation. The police in Montenegro also confirmed the identity of the dead man on the “tag24” platform. The club confirmed to the portal that it had been informed by Hertner’s father about his player’s death.
According to consistent media reports, the accident occurred on Sunday afternoon. The chairlift that Hertner and his girlfriend were traveling with came loose and slid into a chair behind it. The impact threw Hertner out of his seat and fell 70 meters to his death. His girlfriend was trapped and broke her leg, but was saved.
During his professional career, Hertner played 95 second division games for 1860 Munich, Erzgebirge Aue and SV Darmstadt. He was also a U18 and U19 national player, where he played with, among others, world champion Christoph Kramer and Felix Kroos, the brother of Toni Kross. He has been playing for ETSV Hamburg in the league since summer 2024.