ICONIC TWIN ENTERTAINERS CHOOSE TO EXIT LIFE TOGETHER—THE KESSLER TWINS DIE BY ASSISTED SUICIDE AT AGE 89
In a remarkable and poignant conclusion to a shared life, German-born entertainers Alice and Ellen Kessler—known worldwide as the The Kessler Twins—have died together at age 89, choosing a joint assisted death at their home near Munich.
A Joint Departure
According to official statements, the sisters died by a medically assisted death in Germany, where the right to a self-determined death is protected under the constitution.
The process was described as long-considered and free of psychiatric crisis, aided by the advocacy group Deutsche Gesellschaft für Humanes Sterben (DGHS).
In interviews prior to their passing, the twins had expressed that they could not bear the idea of one outliving the other. They wanted their ashes to share an urn.
From Leipzig to Global Stardom
Born on 20 August 1936 in Nerchau (then in Saxony), Alice and Ellen began ballet training at a young age and joined the children’s ballet at the Leipzig Opera.
In 1952, at age 16, they fled East Germany for the West.
Their international breakthrough came via the famed Paris cabaret venue Le Lido in 1955, which propelled them into the European entertainment circuit.
They later became household names in Italy, appearing on television in the 1960s and earning the nickname “the legs of the nation.”
Their career highlights include appearances with legends such as Frank Sinatra, Harry Belafonte and Fred Astaire.
Legacy of Glamour, Partnership & Independence
What set the Kessler twins apart was not only their synchronized dancing or glamorous image but their inseparable partnership—in work and life. As one of them put it: “Together you’re stronger.”
They chose never to marry, preferring their sisterhood and careers first.
Their decision to end their lives together is a final act in that lifelong bond—a statement of shared agency, dignity, and mutual support.
A Complex Conversation
Their passing raises profound questions about autonomy, dignity, aging and the right to die. Germany’s legal framework allows for assisted dying under certain conditions; the sisters’ case appears to have met those.
For families, fans and society at large, the story evokes both admiration and reflection: admiration for their artistry and unity, reflection on how we honour endings in life with the same intention and care as we honour beginnings.
Final Curtain
Alice and Ellen Kessler lived and exited as one. Their career—spanning stages, television sets, continents—was built on coordination, rhythm, trust and mutual support.
Their final choice was consonant with that story. In the words of one news outlet: “They left together, just as they lived: inseparable.”
May they rest in peace—forever joined in legacy and memory.
