Portraits of People Who Didn’t Get into Berghain

This post originally appeared on VICE Germany

The doors of Berlin’s Berghain guard a mythical land of clubbing from which few have returned. Apart from those turned away at the door, that is. For more than a decade, countless rejected partygoers have wondered where they went wrong. So we asked photographers Benedikt Brandhofer and Leif Marcus (collectively known as ich + du) to help us get answers. They hung around outside Berghain in late March to collect photographic evidence.

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Here are their portraits of people who didn’t get in.


Ophelia from Brazil was just curious and wanted to soak up the vibes.

Pierre from Berlin is about to go to sleep and come back after breakfast on Sunday morning to give it another shot.

Elena is pretty sure she had to stay outside because she was laughing too much.

Peter wanted to party at Berghain one last time before heading home to Australia.

Morgana’s heading to Suicide Circus instead.

Florian from Berlin has gotten into Berghain many times. He figures today was simply unlucky.

Lievwkje wonders why she didn’t get in and is determined to try again next time. Being turned away has only stoked her curiosity about Berghain.

Marieke came here with Lievwkje and wants to party at Suicide Circus now.

Jenny was already in, but got kicked out for taking pictures.

Tatjana and Maret believe getting into Berghain is especially hard for Russians like them.

Carson and Nick from Sweden wonder if it was their nationality or their exceptional beauty that sealed their fate as rejects.


Next time Tomec plans on sticking with his favourite spot, KitKatClub.

Most of our rejects were very relaxed about being told no and moved on to clubs like Watergate and Suicide Circus with some warming schnapps from our photographers.

All photos by Benedikt Brandhofer and Leif Marcus.