The world of entertainment has lost one of its most enduring acts, with German twin sisters Alice and Ellen Kessler passing away together at age 89 in a planned joint assisted death.
Police discovered the bodies during a routine check at their Gruenwald home near Munich on Monday lunchtime. Officers confirmed there was no indication of third-party involvement in their deaths.
A Deliberate and Unified Farewell
Germany's Society for Humane Dying confirmed the sisters' decision was long-considered, voluntary and free of external pressure. The organisation revealed the women had contacted them more than a year ago, becoming members in preparation for their end-of-life decision.
Their fears about ageing and separation were no secret. In an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera last year, they expressed their deepest wish. "The idea that one of us might go first is very hard to bear," they said, stating they wanted "to go away together on the same day".
Alice Kessler had been equally candid with German newspaper BILD, asking, "Who wants to go into a home or become a care case? … Certainly not me." Their final plan was described as well thought out, choosing to die together on a specific date.
Six Decades of Dazzling Stardom
Born in Saxony in 1936, Alice and Ellen Kessler trained as ballet dancers before fleeing East Germany in 1952. Their career began at the Lido in Paris before they achieved international recognition.
They rose to global fame in the 1950s and '60s, performing alongside legends like Frank Sinatra, Fred Astaire, and Elvis Presley. The twins represented Germany at the 1959 Eurovision Song Contest and graced the cover of Life magazine.
Their look—blonde coiffed hair and long legs—combined with their singing and dancing talent, helped define cabaret and embodied 1950s and '60s style. They became household names in Italy, appearing in television, theatre, and film. Their 1976 Playboy cover reportedly sold out within hours.
They continued performing into later life, including a musical that toured Berlin, Munich and Vienna from 2015 to 2016. Living in mirrored, connected apartments, they met daily for lunch, maintaining the inseparable bond that defined their lives.
A Legacy of Unity
The Kessler twins made their last public appearance in October 2025, attending an event in Munich just weeks before their planned deaths.
Tributes have flowed from across Europe. The Ed Sullivan Show posted on social media, remembering them as "dazzling stars, true legends, and sisters whose grace, charm, and magic will shine forever." The mayor of Grimma, their birthplace, said the town mourned "two world-renowned personalities."
In a final act of unity, the sisters expressed a wish to have their ashes placed in the same urn, alongside those of their mother Elsa and their dog Yello. Their final decision reflected the same profound connection that shaped their remarkable sixty-year career and personal lives.
