The renowned Kessler twins, a celebrated German entertainment duo who achieved fame across both the United States and Europe starting in the 1950s, have passed away at the age of 89, having made the decision to end their lives simultaneously.
Alice and Ellen Kessler opted for assisted suicide this past Monday, as reported by the German newspaper Bild.
The sisters, known for their singing and dancing talents, departed this life together at their residence in Grünwald, a town near Munich.
Throughout their illustrious careers, the Kessler twins graced American talk shows and performed alongside legendary entertainment figures such as Frank Sinatra, Fred Astaire, and Sammy Davis Jr.
According to Bild, the sisters had expressed a desire not to continue living and had intentionally chosen to conclude their lives in unison.
In Germany, a 2015 law banning the “commercial promotion of assisted suicide” effectively prohibited medically assisted death, as noted by the BBC.
Alice and Ellen Kessler, known as the Kessler twins, have died together in Grünwald, Germany, on Monday at 89 via assisted suicide. The two were an internationally famous singing-and-dancing duo who worked with stars including Frank Sintra, Fred Astaire and Sammy Davis Jr.; pictured together in 1976
According to the German publication Bild, the sisters ‘no longer wanted to live’ and ‘had chosen to end their lives together’; pictured October 24 in Munich, Germany
However, a 2020 ruling by German’s top court overturned the ban. However, individuals seeking assistance in dying must still make the decision themselves, without any coercion.
The twins reportedly told Bild in 2024 that they wanted their ashes to be placed together in an urn after their death, along with the remains of their mother, Elsa, and their dog, Yello.
‘That’s what we stipulated in our will,’ Ellen said, via Parade.
Local authorities reportedly confirmed on Monday that Ellen and Alice had died together at their home, which had adjoining residences separated by a dividing wall.
They added that there was no indication of foul play in the dual deaths.
A tribute posted to Instagram by Radio Monte Carlo said that the Kessler twins ‘left together, just as they lived: inseparable,’ according to an automatic translation.
‘Born in 1936, they were an absolute symbol of European spectacle, including music, dance and television,’ the organization wrote. ‘In Italy, they became celebrities as the “legs of the nation,” icon[s] of elegance and stage presence since the Fifties.
It added that the Kessler twins were a ‘unique artistic couple, capable of leaving an indelible imprint on the collective imagination.’
After being trained in ballet as children, they fled East Germany with their family in 1952. The Kessler twins became a popular dance act throughout Europe in the ’50s
They also established themselves as singers in the late ’50s. Elvis Presley reportedly became a fan after seeing them perform in Paris during his military service in Germany; pictured in 1961
The twins also became popular in the US beginning in the 1960s thanks to multiple appearances on talk and variety shows, including The Ed Sullivan Show and The Red Skelton Hour; pictured circa the 1970s
The twins reportedly told Bild in 2024 that they wanted their ashes to be placed together in an urn after their death, along with the remains of their mother, Elsa, and their dog, Yello. ‘That’s what we stipulated in our will,’ Ellen said, via Parade; pictured in 2014 in Munich
The sisters, who were reportedly born in the Nerchau area of Germany, started their entertainment careers as child ballet performers with the Leipzig Opera.
In 1952, when they were just 16, the Kesslers fled communist East German for West Germany, from where they were able to perform across Europe.
Their popular performances also brought them to the attention of American musicians and performances, including Elvis Presley, who reportedly saw them perform at Le Lido in Paris when he was stationed in West Germany after being drafted into the Army in 1958.
Beginning in the late 1950s, the Kessler twins diversified their act by focusing on singing, both on screen and on records.
The Kessler twins later relocated to Italy in 1962, and the early ’60s marked the beginning of their popularity in the US thanks to appearances on high-profile variety shows including The Ed Sullivan Show and The Red Skelton Hour.
In 1986, Alice and Ellen moved back to West Germany, settling in Grünwald, where they would end their lives together nearly 40 years later.
