Alice and Ellen Kessler, also known as the Kessler twins, died Monday by assisted suicide. The sisters were 89 years old.
Local police confirmed to CNN on Tuesday that “a deployment took place during lunchtime yesterday” in the Munich suburb of Grünwald, where the entertainment duo lived.
However, authorities did not disclose the reason for the deployment. Assisted suicide has been legal in Germany since 2019.
More than a year ago, Alice and Ellen approached the German Humane Death Society (DGHS), an advocacy group that provides access to lawyers and doctors, to become members, the report said.
“The deciding factor was likely the desire to die together on a particular day,” DGHS spokesperson Wega Wetzel told CNN.
Wetzel said she did not know exactly why the women decided to end their lives together.
She said the twins’ “desire to die was well-considered, had been going on for many years, and was not in any way a mental crisis.”
The organization told NBC News in a statement: “They have been considering this option for some time. They have been members of the organization for over a year. Their attorneys and doctors have had preliminary discussions with them. They have been considering this option.”
“A person who chooses this option in Germany must have a completely clear mind, that is, be free and responsible. Decisions must be thoughtful and consistent, that is, not impulsively and taken over a long period of time.”
Last year, the sisters told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that they “wanted to go back together on the same day.”
“The thought that one of us could be the first to become infected is simply too much to bear,” the Kesslers added.
Alice and Ellen also said they wanted their ashes to be placed in the same urn as their mother, Elsa Kessler, and their dog, Yellow.
The Kessler Twins achieved international fame for their post-war entertainment in the ’50s and ’60s.
Alice and Ellen made history as the first female stars to show off their legs on screen and as the first showgirls to appear on Italian television.
After the sisters’ deaths, “The Ed Sullivan Show,” where the twins appeared many times, posted a touching tribute on Instagram.
“Celebrating the extraordinary life of the Kessler Twins,” the show captioned the post. “Alice and Ellen were dazzling stars, true legends, and sisters whose grace, charm and magic will shine forever.”
