Alice and Ellen Kessler, Germany’s Beloved Twin Performers, Die Together by Choice at 89

Alice and Ellen Kessler, the iconic German twin entertainers who rose to fame after the war, died at 89 years of age. The sister duo was known for their charm, choreography, and identical synchronicity. They spent all their lives side by side, and opted to leave this world as they had lived in it, together and on their own terms.

According to a German daily, the twins decided to end their lives with medically assisted suicide on November 17 at their home in Munich, which they shared. The siblings were as famous for their lifelong bond as for their international stage careers, and reportedly expressed deep emotional and physical fatigue in their final months. The twins had also confided to their near ones that they “no longer wanted to live.” Hence, they made this decision clearly and by mutual agreement.

How did the Kessler Twins Die?

The authorities were called immediately afterwards, as is legally required. Police officials reported that there was no evidence of foul play. The German Society for Humane Dying reported, days later, that the Kessler twins had requested assisted suicide, which has been legal since 2019 in Germany. The law allows individuals to administer their own lives, ending medication, distinguishing it from euthanasia, where another party administers the substance. This keeps the final act wholly autonomous, which was a detail reportedly important to the sisters.

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In one final request, Alice and Ellen asked that their ashes be placed in a single urn. It was a symbolic close to a life defined by unity, from the stages of Paris and Las Vegas to film sets and television studios, and finally, to the choice of how they wished to die.

Legal Status of Assisted Euthanasia in India

Assisted euthanasia is still considered illegal in India. The Supreme Court has allowed passive euthanasia since 2018, but it permits the removal of life support systems for patients in irreversible comas or terminal stages. 

According to Indian law, active euthanasia and assisted suicide are not permissible. Even active participation in bringing a person’s life to an end, such as providing or prescribing anything for the purpose of being used for self-administration, would be considered criminal in nature. Ethical, cultural, and legal debates continue, but as of today, India draws hard lines on assisted dying practices.