The Kessler twins, Alice and Ellen, famed for their post-war entertainment careers throughout the 1950s and ’60s, have died by joint assisted suicide at the age of 89.
The sisters died on Monday at their home in Grünwald, near Munich, Germany.
According to German newspaper Bild, the twins “no longer wanted to live” and “they had chosen to end their lives together.”
CNN reports the pair were assisted by the German Society for Humane Dying (DGHS), an advocacy organisation that provides members with access to lawyers, doctors and end-of-life guidance.
The DGHS said the sisters had contacted the organisation more than a year ago and subsequently became members.
“The decisive factor is likely to have been the desire to die together on a specific date,” DGHS spokesperson Wega Wetzel told CNN. However, she noted she was unaware of the individual reasons behind each sister’s choice.
“Their desire to die was well-considered, longstanding and free from any psychiatric crisis,” she added.
In a 2024 interview with Italy’s Corriere della Sera, the identical twins spoke openly about their intentions, saying their wish was “to leave together, on the same day … The idea that one of the two will go first is very difficult to bear.”
Germany legalised assisted dying in 2020 after a landmark ruling recognised an individual’s right to end their life and seek third-party support, provided the decision is made freely and without external pressure.
“They had been considering this option for some time. They had been members of the organisation for over a year. A lawyer and a doctor conducted preliminary discussions with them,” the DGHS said in a statement via NBC News.
“People who choose this option in Germany must be absolutely clear-headed, meaning free and responsible. The decision must be thoughtful and consistent, meaning made over a long period of time and not impulsive.”
Local police confirmed to CNN that officers responded to the twins’ residence on Tuesday, stating “there was a deployment yesterday lunchtime in Gruenwald.” Foul play has been ruled out.
In April 2024, Bild reported that Alice and Ellen had expressed their wish to have their ashes buried together in the same urn. They will reportedly be laid to rest alongside their mother, Elsa, and their dog, Yello.
Born in 1936 in Nazi Germany, the sisters fled East Germany with their family in 1952. Trained as ballet dancers from childhood, they rose to international stardom performing at the Lido in Paris, becoming a staple of European cabaret culture.
They later appeared on Italy’s variety show Studio Uno, represented Germany at the 1959 Eurovision Song Contest, and became known as the first female stars to show their legs on-screen.
Their global fame extended to American television, with appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show and The Dean Martin Show, and collaborations with icons including Frank Sinatra, Fred Astaire, Elvis Presley and Harry Belafonte.
Tributes have flowed following their deaths.
On its official Instagram account, The Ed Sullivan Show wrote, “Honoring the extraordinary lives of the Kessler Twins. Alice & Ellen were dazzling stars, true legends, and sisters whose grace, charm, and magic will shine forever.”
Radio Monte Carlo also commemorated the pair, sharing, “Alice and Ellen Kessler left together, just as they lived: inseparable. Born in 1936, they were an absolute symbol of European spectacle, including music, dance and television. In Italy, they became celebrities as the ‘legs of the nation,’ icon of elegance and stage presence since the Fifties.”
Images: Instagram
