Twin sisters Alice and Ellen Kessler die by assisted suicide on the same day
Topics: Eurovision, Music, Celebrity, TV And Film, News, World News
Madison Burgess
Featured Image Credit: Arthur Grimm/United Archives via Getty Images
Topics: Eurovision, Music, Celebrity, TV And Film, News, World News
Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.
Alice and Ellen Kessler, more commonly known as the Kessler Twins, have both died by assisted suicide at the age of 89.
According to the German publication Bild, the performers chose to end their lives together on Monday (17 November), dying by medical aid, which is legal under certain conditions in Germany, where they're from.
The pair were well-known in the entertainment sphere and were talented singers, dancers and actresses, having worked with a number of huge-name celebrities during their careers.
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These included the likes of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Bing Crosby and Eddie Fisher.
Alice and Ellen even represented West Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1959, where they finished in eighth place with the song 'Heute Abend wollen wir tanzen geh’n (Tonight We Want to go Dancing)'.
They were popular in Europe, especially in Germany and Italy, during the 1950s and 1960s, featuring on-screen in several German musicals and romances.
The twins' career began as children when they would perform with the Leipzig Opera ballet, before they went on to secure visitor's visas to escape East Germany in 1952, as per Metro.
After reaching the city of Düsseldorf, the sisters performed at the Palladium in Düsseldorf and also appeared on stage at The Lido in Paris.
Their public profiles continued to grow throughout their lives, and in the 1950s, they posed on the cover of the Italian edition of Playboy, as well as appearing on TV shows in America like The Red Skelton Hour and The Ed Sullivan Show.
They moved back to Germany in 1986 to settle in Grünwald, where they lived until their death.
According to the German publication, the sisters ‘no longer wanted to live’ and ‘they had chosen to end their lives together’.
Bild reports that police were informed on Monday afternoon that the 89-year-olds had opted for 'assisted suicide', which is permitted under certain conditions in Germany.
Local authorities reportedly confirmed that they died together at their home, which was made up of adjoining residences separated by a dividing wall.
As per MailOnline, death by medical aid in Germany had been banned in the wake of a 2015 law which outlawed the 'commercial promotion of assisted suicide', however, a 2020 ruling by Germany's top court overturned it.
But those who are seeking assistance in suicide must still make the decision entirely themselves, without any coercion.
The Spectator reported that a person in Germany helping an individual who has chosen to end their life will not be penalised for doing so. However, the person ending their life must make that decision freely and take on full responsibility, allegedly signing a lot of forms to show that they understand this.
In April 2024, Ellen and Alice reportedly told Bild that one day they wanted to be buried in the same urn together, alongside the ashes of their mother and their dog Yello.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123 or contact Harmless by visiting their website https://harmless.org.uk.