Twin performers Alice and Ellen Kessler — who were icons of post-war German entertainment — have died at the age of 89.
Known as the Kessler twins, the sisters rose to international stardom in the 1950s and performed alongside giants of their era, including Frank Sinatra, Fred Astaire, and Sammy Davis Jr.
According to the German publication Bild, the sisters “no longer wanted to live” and “had chosen to end their lives together.”
According to Bild, the police were informed on Monday afternoon that the 89-year-olds had opted for “assisted suicide.”
Active assistance in suicide — physically taking a patient’s life for them — is banned in Germany, but passive help, such as providing deadly medication for them to take themselves, has been a legal gray area.
Last year, the show twins told Bild that they wanted to be buried in the same urn, together with the ashes of their mother, Elsa, and their dog Yello. “That’s what we stipulated in our wills,” Ellen told the publication.
Radio Monte Carlo posted a tribute to Alice and Ellen on Instagram.
“Alice and Ellen Kessler left together, just as they lived: inseparable,” the statement read. “Born in 1936, they were an absolute symbol of European spectacle, including music, dance and television.
“A unique artistic couple, capable of leaving an indelible imprint on the collective imagination.”
Born in 1936, the pair rose to prominence at 16, after escaping communist East Germany for the West, which allowed them to begin performing across Europe.
The twins went on to represent West Germany at the 1959 Eurovision Song Contest, placing eighth with their entry, “Heute Abend wollen wir tanzen geh’n” (“Tonight We Want to Go Dancing”).
In the 1960s, they appeared on high-profile variety shows in the U.S., including The Ed Sullivan Show and The Red Skelton Hour.
The twins moved back to Germany in 1986 and lived in Grünwald, near Munich, where they remained until their deaths. Earlier this year, they received the Bavarian Order of Merit.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you
