Alice and Ellen Kessler, the dazzling German born, American bred, international box office queen pop singing sisters, thrilled ‘em in Eisenhower-era Europe! Tragically, they both died in 2021 at the age of 89. The sisters, in turn, helped the burgeoning television network create a sense of glamour. Tragically, they decided to take their lives together in assisted death at their residence in Grünwald, near Munich.
The Kessler twins were born in former East Germany. Their artistic journey began in childhood as ballet dancers, performing with the Leipzig Opera. Their artistic lives would change dramatically when their family fled to Düsseldorf. At only 16 years old, they began working there as singers and dancers. Their scenic pictures were an immediate sensation, resulting in commissions that would define their career and legacy.
In 1959, Alice and Ellen performed as a duo in the Eurovision Song Contest for West Germany, coming eighth. Their performances were memorable mixtures of declarative vocal prowess and intimidating aesthetic prowess. They received further praises for their interpretations at The Lido, Paris in late 1950s. They upped the ante by going toe-to-toe with music icons such as Frank Sinatra and Fred Astaire on American soil.
It was destiny that their leap toward fame was aided by Don Lurio, whom they followed to Italy in 1961. The Kessler twins are legendary for their iconic swagger and glamour. Sometimes they challenge the limits of Rai’s severe dress-code restrictions with their audacious sense of style. In response to this crisis, they looked back on this under-discussed part of their career. America may have gotten to see us scantily-clad on television, but we were refined, never raunchy—for this is how we shocked them all!
Alice and Ellen lived a happy life in the dynamic Trastevere district of Rome until 1986. Afterwards, they returned to Germany and settled in Grünwald. Despite the trials, their connection held firm over the decades, and they both articulated the challenge of imagining life without each other. As Alice said one time, “The thought that one of the two should be the first to die is so hard to accept.”
As the Kessler twins transitioned through their lives, they continued to be free and independent while collaborating with each other closely. “We were feminists, but without thinking about it: from the age of 15, we started earning our own living. We’ve always been independent. We’d cultivated a healthy sense of interdependence, and just like us, they took time to think about their relationship. Ultimately, that connection made us.
In their old age, they took great care in planning for where they would lay to rest. They wished to have their ashes put in the same urn and buried alongside their mother and their favorite dog, Yello.
In 1959, the sisters shared a truly memorable moment with music legend Elvis Presley. That makes this moment one of the unforgettable highlights of their extraordinary career. We remember them, and their legacy lives on through their remarkable contributions to music and television. They undoubtedly left a huge legacy on the arts and popular culture, especially during a politically and creatively explosive time.
With Alice and Ellen Kessler’s passing, an era has come to a close. Anyone who followed their innovative work, humanistic spirit, or dynamic approach to performing arts will mourn their tragic loss. All that they brought to the world of entertainment, and their unbreakable friendship until the end, is a beautiful tribute to their incredible path together.