Overview
- Alice and Ellen Kessler, both 89, died together on November 17 in Grünwald in what multiple reports describe as an assisted suicide coordinated with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Humanes Sterben.
- A physician and a lawyer were present, and Munich police confirmed a response at the residence without disclosing further details.
- A close friend recounts that Ellen had suffered a stroke, heart problems and severe depression, while the sisters had prepared farewell packages with jewelry and letters for confidantes.
- Reports indicate the date was chosen months in advance, with notes instructing recipients to open parcels after November 18.
- ARD/NDR aired a late-night tribute on November 22 and highlighted archive material, as the case renewed calls from the Bavarian Ethics Council chair to intensify suicide prevention and debate regulatory guardrails.