Alice and Ellen Kessler, famously known as the Kessler twins, died by joint assisted suicide at their Munich home on Monday. They were 89. The news of their tragic death was confirmed by advocacy organisation the German Society for Humane Dying (DGHS) on Tuesday, per CNN. Local police further told the outlet that “there was a deployment yesterday lunchtime in Gruenwald,” where the entertainment duo lived.
What happened to the Kessler twins?
The Kessler twins, who rose to fame in the post-war era during the 1950s and '60s, contacted the German organisation over a year ago. “The decisive factor is likely to have been the desire to die together on a specific date,” DGHS spokesperson Wega Wetzel, who was unaware of the exact reason behind their joint suicide, told the outlet.
“Their desire to die was well-considered, long-standing, and free from any psychiatric crisis,” Wetzel added. According to German newspaper Bild, the Kessler twins opted for medical aid in dying because they “no longer wanted to live” and “they had chosen to end their lives together.” The authorities were notified after the process was completed, per People.
The sisters opened up on the idea of dying together in an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera last year. They said that they wished “to go away together on the same day,” adding, “The idea that one of us might get it first is very hard to bear.” At the time, they also wished to have their ashes buried in the same urn alongside their mother, Elsa, and their dog, Yello, per Bild.
{{/usCountry}}The sisters opened up on the idea of dying together in an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera last year. They said that they wished “to go away together on the same day,” adding, “The idea that one of us might get it first is very hard to bear.” At the time, they also wished to have their ashes buried in the same urn alongside their mother, Elsa, and their dog, Yello, per Bild.
{{/usCountry}}The Ed Sullivan Show paid tribute to the entertainment duo in an emotional Instagram post that read, “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.”