Alice and Ellen Kessler, the German pop duo famed across Europe in the 1960s, have died aged 89. The identical twins chose a joint assisted death at their home in Grünwald, near Munich, on Monday, according to Wega Wetzel, a spokesperson for the Berlin-based assisted dying association DGHS.
In Germany, active euthanasia remains banned, but the constitution upholds the right to a self-determined death, including the freedom to take one's own life with voluntary assistance. The sisters administered the life-ending drugs in the presence of a physician and lawyer, who then informed the police. Wetzel said the decision had been made over a long period and was well thought through, with no mental health issues involved.
Born in 1936 in Nerchau, the Kesslers began as child ballet dancers with the Leipzig Opera. After fleeing East Germany for Düsseldorf, their career took off from the age of 16. They represented West Germany at the 1959 Eurovision Song Contest, finishing eighth, and performed at The Lido in Paris, where they met Elvis Presley. In 1961, choreographer Don Lurio brought them to Italy, where they became icons of elegance and independence, despite controversy over their bare legs breaching Rai's strict dress codes.
Known by the Italian press as “the legs of the nation,” they appeared on variety shows including Giardino d'inverno and Studio Uno. They also worked in films and theatre in Italy, and performed with stars such as Frank Sinatra and Fred Astaire in the US. The sisters lived together in Rome's Trastevere until 1986, when they returned to Germany.
Both had romances but made a pact never to marry, influenced by their mother's unhappy marriage. In interviews, they stressed their independence, saying they began earning a living at age 15 and became “a little dependent on each other.” Last year, they expressed their wish to leave together, and told Bild they wanted their ashes placed in a single urn, buried alongside their mother and dog, Yello.
