FC Bayern is mourning the passing of honorary member Henry Kissinger, the former US Secretary of State who has died at home in Connecticut at the age of 100. Kissinger, who was born on 27 May 1923 in Fürth and fled to America with his family in 1938 to escape the Nazi regime, had been an enthusiastic football fan since his youth and was made an honorary member of the German record champions in the summer of 1989 when FC Bayern were on tour in the USA. His last membership number was 6,007.
In May, the Nobel Peace Prize winner gave our website and club magazine ‘51’ a world-exclusive interview about his passion for football, his connection to Bayern and why Franz Beckenbauer is still a figure that inspires people today. "Yes, the Kaiser... You know, heroes go it alone - but they become legends when they ennoble the lives of us all and touch our hearts. And Franz Beckenbauer became such a legend," said Kissinger about the club’s honorary president, whom he often saw play live during his career with New York Cosmos.
"Henry Kissinger was a man who always stood up for peace and enjoyed a great reputation throughout the world," said Bayern president Herbert Hainer, paying tribute to the deceased honorary member. “We are very proud to have had such a great politician and such an outstanding person in our Bayern family. Our thoughts are with his family."
Photo: Jürgen Frank
Kissinger was named an honorary FC Bayern member in 1989.