The Kessler twins, who had been greatest recognized for his or her postwar leisure in the Fifties and ’60s, have died by joint assisted suicide.
Alice and Ellen Kessler died at age 89 at their residence in Grünwald, close to Munich, Germany, on Monday.
The sisters “no longer wanted to live” and “they had chosen to end their lives together,” as reported by the German newspaper Bild.
According to NCS, Alice and Ellen had been assisted by advocacy group the German Society for Humane Dying (DGHS). The DGHS supplies folks with entry to attorneys and docs and different instruments.
The group instructed NCS that the twins contacted the DGHS over a yr in the past and have become members.
“The decisive factor is likely to have been the desire to die together on a specific date,” DGHS spokesperson Wega Wetzel instructed NCS. However, Wetzel famous that she wasn’t conscious of why every girl selected this technique.
“Their desire to die was well-considered, long-standing and free from any psychiatric crisis,” she added.
In an interview final yr with Italy’s Corriere della Sera, the similar sisters mentioned their want was “to leave together, on the same day … The idea that one of the two will go first is very difficult to bear.”
Assisted dying was made authorized in Germany after it was dominated in 2020 that a person has the proper to finish their life and to hunt assist from a 3rd celebration so long as the choice is made freely with out outdoors stress.
“They had been considering this option for some time. They had been members of the organization for over a year. A lawyer and a doctor conducted preliminary discussions with them,” the group mentioned in an announcement, through NBC News. “People who choose this option in Germany must be absolutely clear-headed, meaning free and responsible. The decision must be thoughtful and consistent, meaning made over a long period of time and not impulsive.”
On Tuesday, native police confirmed to NCS that “there was a deployment yesterday lunchtime in Gruenwald” to their residence. The risk of foul play was dominated out.
In April 2024, Alice and Ellen reportedly instructed Bild that they needed their ashes to be buried in the identical urn. They will reportedly be buried alongside their mom, Elsa, and canine Yello.
The siblings had been born in Nazi Germany, and their household fled East Germany for West Germany in 1952. After taking ballet from a younger age, they launched into worldwide fame as they carried out at Lido in Paris, a scorching spot for cabaret performances.
They additionally appeared on the Italian selection present “Studio Uno,” represented Germany at the 1959 Eurovision Song Contest and made historical past for being the first feminine stars to indicate their legs on-screen.
Over the years, they appeared on widespread selection exhibits akin to “The Ed Sullivan Show” and “The Dean Martin Show.” They additionally shared the stage with legends akin to Frank Sinatra, Fred Astaire, Elvis Presley, and Harry Belafonte.
On its official Instagram account, “The Ed Sullivan Show” wrote: “🌹 Honoring the extraordinary lives of the Kessler Twins. Alice & Ellen were dazzling stars, true legends, and sisters whose grace, charm, and magic will shine forever. ✨”
Radio Monte Carlo additionally shared a touching tribute to Alice and Ellen following their deaths.
“Alice and Ellen Kessler left together, just as they lived: inseparable,” the Instagram assertion learn. “Born in 1936, they were an absolute symbol of European spectacle, including music, dance and television. In Italy, they became celebrities as the ‘legs of the nation,’ icon of elegance and stage presence since the Fifties.”
“A unique artistic couple, capable of leaving an indelible imprint on the collective imagination.”
If you’re fighting suicidal ideas or are experiencing a psychological well being disaster and reside in New York City, you’ll be able to name 888-NYC-WELL free of charge and confidential disaster counseling. If you reside outdoors the 5 boroughs, you’ll be able to dial 988 to achieve the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.