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Kessler Twins, 89, Choose Joint Assisted Death at Home Near Munich

The case has renewed calls to clarify Germany’s assisted‑dying rules left unsettled since a 2020 court ruling.

Overview

  • The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Humanes Sterben (DGHS) confirmed the sisters arranged a planned assisted death after contacting the organization more than a year ago.
  • Police later verified it was a joint suicide carried out at their shared residence in Grünwald near Munich.
  • DGHS procedures required at least six months of membership, a formal application, and multiple consultations with lawyers and physicians, with family involvement possible.
  • The reported cost was €4,000 per person or €6,000 for two together, covering medical and legal support, according to a DGHS spokesperson cited in media reports.
  • Germany’s unsettled legal framework has drawn fresh criticism, with former health minister Karl Lauterbach urging clear safeguards and Caritas president Eva Welskop-Deffaa warning against romanticized coverage and pressure on vulnerable elderly people.