Alice and Ellen Kessler — popular German entertainers and twin sisters — died together on Monday at the age of 89.
According to the German newspaper Bild, the sisters had chosen to “end their lives together,” as they “no longer wanted to live.”
The German Society for Humane Dying stated that the women died through joint medical-assisted suicide in the suburb of Grünwald, located near Munich. Wega Wetzel, a spokesperson for DGHS, spoke with CNN on Tuesday regarding their death.
“The decisive factor is likely to have been the desire to die together on a specific date,” Wetzel told the outlet, saying that she also was not privy to the exact reasoning behind the decision.
“Their desire to die was well-considered, long-standing, and free from any psychiatric crisis,” she said.
Hannes Magerstaedt via Getty Images
The twins are expected to be buried next to their mother, Elsa, and their dog, Yello. Back in April 2024, they told Bild that their hope was for their ashes to be placed together in a single urn.
In Germany, a person may end their life via medically assisted dying under specific circumstances, including that they are an adult, mentally capable and acting with their full independence and intent, according to Bild.
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The Kessler sisters’ rise to international stardom began when they became part of the Bluebell Girl troupe at Paris’ Lido, a move that set their global career in motion. They were celebrated across post-war Europe — not only for their artistry and elegance, but also for the unmistakable closeness that defined them.
AP Photo/Girolamo Di Majo
