The celebrated artists Alice and Ellen Kessler, known internationally as the Kessler Sisters, have died simultaneously at the age of 89 at their residence in Bavaria, southern Germany. German authorities are investigating the circumstances of the event.
The death of the Kessler Sisters: what is known about the case
Alice and Ellen Kessler died together and the German police have opened an investigation to clarify what happened, although the first conclusions rule out an act of violence and point to an assisted death, a procedure permitted in Germany when certain legal requirements are met.
Both artists had left their final wishes on record: in their wills, they specified that they were to be cremated and placed together in the same urn, accompanied by the remains of their mother and their dog. Their estate had already been donated in full in 2006 to Doctors Without Borders, a decision that reflected their vision of solidarity and commitment to humanitarian causes.
A duo ahead of their time: their first steps
Alice and Ellen began their artistic career at a very young age. At the age of 16 they were already performing professionally in Düsseldorf and, at 18, they were hired by the prestigious
Although they did not achieve a great result with Heute abend woll’n wir tanzen geh’n, their performance was pioneering for its visual and choreographic style, anticipating what decades later would become the essence of the contest.
From Germany to all of Europe: talent and a life-changing escape
Born on August 20, 1936 in Nerchau, in present-day Saxony, they grew up in an environment where music and dance were central. From the age of six they studied ballet, and by the age of eleven they were already members of the children’s ballet of the Leipzig Opera, where they received an extremely rigorous training.
Their career took a radical turn in 1952, when they took advantage of a temporary visa to leave East Germany and join their father in the Federal Republic. Once settled in Düsseldorf, they began to perform in variety halls until their talent caught the attention of the director of the Lido in Paris, who signed them for one of the most important productions in Europe.
How the golden era of the Kessler was
Their film debut came in 1955 and, from then on, they participated in a long list of German, French and Italian films. At the same time, they began their musical career and signed with the Polydor label, which launched them to international stardom. However, it was in Italy that they achieved an almost mythical status.
Their number Da-da-um-pa became a television phenomenon associated with the program Studio Uno. There they starred in a historic moment as the first women to show their legs in prime time, a gesture that marked a before and after in Italian popular culture.
Acknowledgments, legacy and a shared farewell
During the following decades, Alice and Ellen continued to accumulate successes and distinctions, among them the Golden Rose of Montreux, the Federal Cross of Merit and recognition as honorary citizens of Nachau. In the 2000s they returned to the stage with jazz concerts alongside big names and also appeared in German television series.
Their farewell, planned by themselves and lived together until the last moment, reflects an inseparable life both personally and professionally.
With his death, one of the most influential artistic duos of the 20th century disappears, but his legacy lives on in the history of European music, film and entertainment.
