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A 3-0 defeat at Hertha Berlin has Schalke just one match short of the miserable milestone for the longest winless streak, a record near-forgotten minnow Tasmania Berlin is desperate to keep.

Placards reading "That is our record! Ra-Ra-Ra Tasmania (The Original)" and "Save the record for Tas!" were laid out in front of Berlin's Olympic Stadium before Schalke's defeat to Hertha on Sunday (AEDT).

Christian Gross, Schalke's fourth head coach this season, got off to a losing start as Arsenal loanee Matteo Guendouzi, Colombia striker Jhon Cordoba and his replacement, Poland forward Krzysztof Piatek, scored for Hertha.

"I hope we can still sign in one or two players, who could bring a bit of personality," Gross said after watching his new team's latest loss.

Schalke, which is bottom of the league, boosted its squad last Friday (AEDT) by re-signing defender Sead Kolasinac, who did not face Hertha, on loan from Arsenal.

It hosts Hoffenheim next Sunday (AEDT) and is now one match from equalling the league record, long held by Tasmania Berlin, which went 31 matches without winning in the 1965-1966 Bundesliga season.

Tasmania Berlin, based in the capital's central district of Neukoelln, now languishes in the fifth-tier of German football.

Its chairman Almir Numic – a fan of Schalke's arch rival Borussia Dortmund – has mixed feelings about potentially losing the record.

"As a Dortmund fan, I wouldn't mind if Schalke continued without a win and even get relegated," he said.

"On the other hand, this story is simply part of the identity of 'Tas'.

"Our only Bundesliga season was five and a half decades ago, but we are still a topic - nationwide. We don't really have to do any advertising."