Twin sisters Alice and Ellen Kessler — legendary performers known across Europe as the Kessler Twins — have died at the age of 89 by assisted suicide. According to German outlet Bild, the sisters chose to end their lives together on 17 November through medical assistance, which is legal under specific conditions in Germany. Authorities later confirmed they passed away in their adjoining homes.

The Kessler Twins were major showbiz icons in the 1950s and 1960s, celebrated as singers, dancers, and actresses. They appeared alongside stars like Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Dean Martin, and even represented West Germany at Eurovision in 1959. Their careers began in childhood with the Leipzig Opera ballet before they escaped East Germany in 1952 and went on to find international fame.

Throughout their lives, Alice and Ellen performed across Europe and the U.S., gracing stages like The Lido in Paris and appearing on American television shows such as The Ed Sullivan Show. They later returned to Germany in 1986, where they lived side-by-side until their deaths. Reports say the sisters had decided they no longer wished to continue living and intentionally chose to depart together.

The pair had previously expressed a wish to be buried in the same urn with their mother and their dog, Yello. Their deaths have sparked discussions about Germany’s assisted suicide laws, which allow the practice under strict, voluntary, and fully informed consent.