Assisted suicide law explained as twin sisters Alice and Ellen Kessler die on same day

Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.

It was announced today (18 November) that German entertainment stars, twin sisters Alice and Ellen Kessler, have died by assisted suicide aged 89.

The renowned duo, better known as the Kessler twins, rose to international fame in the 1950s and worked with a whole slew of A-list celebrities, including Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, and Eddie Fisher.

They had a successful career as actresses, singers and dancers and were best known across Europe, most notably in Germany and Italy, but also had links to other parts of the world like the US.

Alice and Ellen represented West Germany at the 1959 Eurovision Song Contest and placed eighth with their entry, 'Heute Abend wollen wir tanzen geh’n,' which in English, translates to 'Tonight We Want to Go Dancing'.

The German newspaper Bild reported that the twins left the world together in a joint assisted suicide as they 'no longer wanted to live'.

Understandably, the nature of the sisters death has left people with questions - here's everything we know about the assisted dying laws in Germany.

The news broke today that Alice and Ellen Kessler have died by assisted suicide (Luciano Viti/Getty Images)

What is the assisted suicide law in Germany?

Germany's assisted suicide laws are complicated and in 2020, the Federal Constitutional Court declared the ban on professional assisted suicide unconstitutional.

It was decided by the court that there is a constitutional right to a self-determined death, including the freedom to seek and make use of assistance provided by a third party - but that doesn't come without rules and regulations.

Before it was overturned, the law in question made 'commercial promotion of assisted suicide' a criminal offence.

However, it simply prompted terminally ill people to go to Switzerland and the Netherlands to end their lives instead and advice centres that had operated until the law in 2015 had to stop working to avoid legal consequences.

As per The Independent, active assistance in suicide, which is where someone physically takes a patients life for them, is banned in Germany.

However, passive help, which includes providing the medication for them to take themselves, is a 'legal grey area'.

Bild reports that the person wanting to end their life must 'act responsibly and of their own free will,' as well as being of legal age.

The news has prompted questions about Germany's stance on assisted dying (Getty Stock Image)

Like we said, those assisting can't carry out the lethal act themselves and this would be 'active euthanasia' which is firmly prohibited.

As per the BBC's 2020 report on the rules, Euthanasia in Germany remains punishable by up to five years in jail.

What happened to Alice and Ellen Kessler?

According to the Bild report, Alice and Ellen Kessler opted to end their lives using assisted suicide.

The German publication claimed that around noon yesterday (17 November) a police patrol car went to the twins house in Grünwald, which is made up of adjoining residences separated by a dividing wall.

The officers reportedly confirmed the twins deaths following an initial examination of the bodies, 'ruling out foul play'.

In April 2024, the Kessler twins reportedly told Bild that they wanted their ashes to be buried in the same urn one day, alongside their mother Elsa and dog Yello, with Ellen confirming: "We stipulated this in our wills."

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.