Alice and Ellen Kessler, the famed German twin performers, died together by medically assisted suicide at age 89. Members of the German Society for Humane Dying, they had consulted a lawyer and doctor and were reported to have no acute mental health issues. In 2024 the sisters told a newspaper they wished to die together rather than one survive the other. The Kesslers rose from childhood ballet training to international fame, including appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show and performances with icons such as Frank Sinatra and Fred Astaire.
Kessler Twins Die Together in Joint Medically Assisted Suicide at 89
Alice and Ellen Kessler, the famed German twin performers, died together by medically assisted suicide at age 89. Members of the German Society for Humane Dying, they had consulted a lawyer and doctor and were reported to have no acute mental health issues. In 2024 the sisters told a newspaper they wished to die together rather than one survive the other. The Kesslers rose from childhood ballet training to international fame, including appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show and performances with icons such as Frank Sinatra and Fred Astaire.
06:31 AM, 11/19/2025Culture
Alice and Ellen Kessler, the celebrated German twin entertainers who rose to international fame across Europe and the United States, have died together by medically assisted suicide. They were 89 years old.
The German Society for Humane Dying, of which the sisters had been members for more than a year, said the twins had been considering assisted suicide for some time. The organisation said a lawyer and a doctor met with them to explain the process and confirmed there were no signs of acute mental illness affecting the sisters.
“People who choose this option in Germany must be absolutely clear-headed, meaning free and responsible,” the organisation said. “The decision must be thoughtful and consistent, meaning made over a long period of time and not impulsive.”
In 2020, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court ruled that a blanket ban on assisted suicide was unconstitutional and affirmed a right to a self-determined death, a legal change that reshaped access to medically assisted end-of-life options in the country.
In a 2024 interview with an Italian newspaper, the sisters said they wished to die together, adding that "the idea that one of the two will go first is very difficult to bear." Their long bond—personal and professional—was central to that decision.
Career and Legacy
Alice and Ellen Kessler were born on August 20, 1936. They trained as ballet dancers in childhood and left East Germany for the West in the 1950s, a move that helped them launch a successful entertainment career. The twins achieved widespread popularity across Europe and later gained recognition in the United States, appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show and sharing stages with stars such as Frank Sinatra and Fred Astaire.
Known for their synchronized routines, glamorous image and longevity in show business, the Kessler Twins remained cultural icons for decades. They are remembered for their contributions to postwar European entertainment and their enduring partnership both on and off stage.
The sisters were 89.