German duo Alice and Ellen Kessler, known as the Kessler Twins, died together by assisted suicide on Monday, at the age of 89. The two were known for their singing and dancing, which made them famous across Europe in the post-war era.
The German Society for Humane Dying confirmed the news on Tuesday, saying the two had been considering assisted suicide for a while.
“They had been members of the organization for over a year. A lawyer and a doctor conducted preliminary discussions with them,” the organization said in an English-language statement.
In order to choose the assisted suicide option, the organization says patients have to be “absolutely clear-headed, meaning free and responsible.” The choice has to be consistent, meaning considered and desired over an extended period of time.
Last year, in an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, the twins said they wanted “to go away together on the same day.”
“The idea that one of us might get it first is very hard to bear,” they added.
Assisted dying in Germany
Assisted dying in Germany has only been legal in the country since 2020, when the country’s top court ruled that an individual has the right to end their life.
The court ruled an assisted dying ban previously in place infringed on constitutional rights.
Who are the Kessler Twins?
Alice and Ellen were born in Nazi Germany on Aug. 20, 1936. There, they trained as ballet dancers until their family fled from East Germany to West Germany. There, they launched their professional entertainment careers.
They performed at the Lido in Paris, a venue known for its Cabaret performances, but quickly moved up in the industry. They became the first showgirls to appear on Italian television, according to CNN, and were the first female stars to show their legs on screen.
After the showgirl era waned, the two kept their fame by making guest appearances on German television and starring in a musical from 2015 to 2016 in Berlin, Munich and Vienna.
The twins in the US
While the Kessler Twins’ fame started in Europe, it made its way stateside in the early 1960s. In February 1963, the Kesslers made their American television debut on the CBS variety show “The Red Skelton Hour.”
On the show, they performed a song-and-dance version of “Les Girls.” That same month, they also appeared on the cover of Life magazine. The headline read “SENSATIONS FROM GERMANY: KESSLER TWINS.”
The two also appeared on CBS’ “The Ed Sullivan Show.” In an Instagram post, a page dedicated to the show’s legacy shared a clip of the twins, calling them “dazzling stars, true legends, and sisters whose grace, charm, and magic will shine forever.”
