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Rest in Peace, Alice & Ellen Kessler 🙏
(August 20, 1936 – November 17, 2025)
A remarkable pair who left an unforgettable mark on European entertainment. Known internationally as the Kessler Twins, Alice and Ellen were German-born dancers, singers, and actresses who rose to fame in the 1950s and 1960s across Germany, Italy, and beyond.
Born in Nerchau, Saxony, they began ballet at age six and joined the Leipzig Opera’s child ballet program by eleven. In 1952, at just 16 years old, they and their family escaped East Germany and later began performing in Düsseldorf before joining the legendary Lido in Paris.
The twins represented West Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest 1959, met Elvis Presley during his military service, and soon became household names in Europe. Their move to Italy in the early 1960s brought them even greater success through RAI’s hit variety show “Studio Uno.” At age 40, they appeared on the cover of Playboy Italy—the fastest-selling issue of its time.
Their talent also reached the United States, where they performed on major programs like The Red Skelton Hour and The Ed Sullivan Show, and appeared in films including Sodom and Gomorrah (1962). Throughout their careers, they received several honors, including the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Bavarian Order of Merit.
The Kessler Twins spent their later years back in Germany and continued to be celebrated for promoting German-Italian cultural ties.
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