The legendary Kessler twins, Alice and Ellen, the glamorous German dancing duo who charmed audiences alongside Frank Sinatra and Fred Astaire, have died together in a joint assisted suicide at the age of 89.
A Final Act Together
According to a report from TMZ, the sisters paid what was described as a 'mini fortune' to ensure their lives ended simultaneously and on their own terms. They utilised the services of the German Society for Humane Dying, known as DGHS.
A spokesperson for DGHS, Wega Wetzel, confirmed to the outlet that the organisation's service costs $4,600 per person or $7,000 for two people. This fee covers the involvement of both lawyers and doctors for the assisted suicide procedure. However, it was noted that the cost does not include cremation expenses, which the sisters had specifically desired.
The Details of Their Passing
The twins passed away this week at their home in Grünwald, near Munich. Their lives ended via an overdose of anesthetic administered by needle. Following the procedure, it is standard protocol for DGHS to contact the police.
While German law permits passive euthanasia, such as the withdrawal of life support, DGHS operates within this legal framework to assist individuals with end-of-life decisions. The outlet also reported that clients are typically required to begin working with DGHS six months prior to their death, but the Kessler twins had initiated contact approximately a year ago.
Local authorities confirmed the dual deaths on Monday, stating there was no indication of foul play. The sisters lived in adjoining residences separated only by a dividing wall.
A Legacy of Glamour and Inseparable Bonds
Born in 1936 in the Nerchau area, Alice and Ellen began their careers as child ballet performers with the Leipzig Opera. In 1952, at just 16 years old, they fled communist East Germany for West Germany, launching a prolific entertainment career across Europe.
They became stars in Italy, celebrated as the 'legs of the nation', and their fame spread to the United States in the 1960s through appearances on popular programmes like The Ed Sullivan Show and The Red Skelton Hour. They worked with entertainment royalty, including Frank Sinatra in Las Vegas and Elvis Presley, who reportedly saw their act in Paris.
A tribute from Radio Monte Carlo on Instagram stated they 'left together, just as they lived: inseparable'. The twins had previously told German publication Bild that they wished for their ashes to be placed together in an urn alongside the remains of their mother, Elsa, and their dog, Yello.
'That’s what we stipulated in our will,' Ellen had said, cementing their bond that lasted an entire lifetime and beyond.
