The legendary Kessler Twins, Alice and Ellen, have passed away.
In the ’50s and ’60s, the Kesslers became famous across the world as an entertainment duo.
They chose to end their lives as a pair, as well, by assisted suicide.
The late twins were 89.
The Kessler Twins have died
Bild reports that twins Alice and Ellen Kessler have died at their home near Munich, Germany.
According to the report, the 89-year-olds “no longer wanted to live.”
After careful consideration, “they had chosen to end their lives together.”
They died on November 17.
Per the report, after they died, authorities were informed of their passing.
Germany did not always allow medically assisted dying.
But, as a nation often on the forefront of human rights, the country legalized the process to end one’s life following a 2020 court ruling.
Simply put, under the right circumstances, people have an inalienable right to end their lives and to receive assistance.
There are exceptions, of course. It must be fully voluntary, which also means without external pressure.
Some nations legalize medically assisted death only to see the depressed and unhoused pressured to simply die rather than seek assistance improving their lives. It is imperative that all nations avoid this.
Alice and Ellen have been famous for over 70 years
Born on August 20, 1936, the Alice and Ellen rose to fame as the Kessler Twins in the 1950s.
As children, they took ballet classes. They managed to escape East Germany with their parents in 1952.
The Kesslers would go on to perform ballet in various European nations. They even met Elvis in Paris, once.
In 1959, they represented West Germany in Eurovision, performing the song “Heute Abend wollen wir tanzen geh’n” (“Tonight We Want to Go Dancing”).
From there, they moved to Italy, with their roles becoming more serious as people developed greater respect for their careers.
Alice and Ellen Kessler also enjoyed significant popularity in America.
They appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, which most living Americans do not remember but many have at least heard of.
The twins also shared the stage with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Fred Astaire, and Dean Martin.
Alice and Ellen received numerous awards and accolades, including honors from various governments over the years.
At 40, they posed for the cover of the Italian edition of Playboy — making it the best-selling (Italian) issue up to that point.
They lived out this latter half of their lives in relative obscurity
In 1986, the Kessler twins moved back to Germany.
They settled in Grünwald — which was also where they chose to die, nearly 40 years later.
Obviously, not everyone can understand why Alice and Ellen decided to end their lives. They clearly did not feel a need to explain, and they do not owe us explanations.
We should keep in mind that there are people who grapple with suicidal ideation due to mental illness. In them, suicide is the final stage of a terminal illness.
But there are people in history who, due to to physical ailments, inescapable persecution, or other causes have chosen to die. These are not the same.
If you or someone in your life is struggling with this topic, please seek help. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.