Kessler Twins
Alice and Ellen Kessler (20 August 1936 – 17 November 2025) were twin entertainers known in Europe, especially Germany and Italy, from the 1950s and 1960s for their singing, dancing, and acting. They were usually credited as the Kessler Twins (Die Kessler-Zwillinge in Germany and Le Gemelle Kessler in Italy). They were born in Nerchau, Saxony, Germany.
Kessler Twins | |
|---|---|
 The Kessler Twins in 2005 | |
| Born | Alice Kssler Ellen Kessler 20 August 1936 |
| Died | 17 November 2025 (aged 89) |
| Cause of death | Assisted suicide |
| Other names | Die Kessler-Zwillinge (in Germany) Le Gemelle Kessler (in Italy) |
| Occupation | Twin entertainers |
| Years active | 1942–2025 |
| Parent(s) | Paul & Elsa Kessler |
In the United States, they were not as popular but appeared in the 1963 movie Sodom and Gomorrah as dancers and appeared on the cover of Life Magazine in that year. They made their American television debut on 12 February 1963 on the Red Skelton Hour, acting in his comedy sketch and dancing and singing a duet.[1] They also performed on The Ed Sullivan Show.
Life
Their parents, Paul and Elsa, sent them to ballet classes at the age of six, and they joined the Leipzig Opera's child ballet program at age 11. When they were 18, their parents used a visitor's visa to escape from East Germany to West Germany, where they performed at the Palladium in Düsseldorf. They performed at Le Lido in Paris between 1955 and 1960, and represented West Germany in the 1959 Eurovision Song Contest, finishing in 8th place with Heute Abend wollen wir tanzen geh'n (Tonight we want to go dancing).
They moved to Italy in 1960 and gradually moved to more serious roles. At the age of 40, they agreed to pose on the cover of the Italian edition of Playboy. That issue became the fastest-selling Italian Playboy up until that point.
They moved back to Germany in 1986 and lived in the Munich suburb of Grünwald. They received two awards from both the German and Italian governments for promoting German-Italian cooperation through their work in show business.
The Kessler Twins died together by assisted suicide at their home in Grünwald, Bavaria, Germany on 17 November 2025 at the age of 89.[2][3]
Kessler Twins Media
Publicity photo of the Kessler Twins.
References
- ↑ ctva.biz/US/MusicVariety/RedSkeltonShow_12_(1962-63).htm
- ↑ Etienne, Vanessa (17 November 2025). "Twin Sisters Who Were Once Famous Entertainers Choose to End Their Lives on the Same Day". People. https://people.com/kessler-twins-end-lives-together-medical-aid-in-dying-11851001. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
- ↑ Klugmayer, Lisa. Die Kessler-Zwillinge sind tot (in de). FOCUS online (17 November 2025). Retrieved 17 November 2025.
Other websites
Media related to Kessler Twins at Wikimedia Commons- Alice Kessler on IMDb
- Ellen Kessler on IMDb