Comedian and impressionist Jess Robinson compares her life at 23 with her Holocaust survivor grandmother Rosi Schul’s diary from 1938-1943 in new book Life Is Rosi
When comedian and impressionist Jess Robinson delved into her German Jewish heritage, she discovered an unexpected commonality with her maternal grandmother, a Holocaust survivor.
At the age of 23, Robinson, now a familiar face on shows like Dead Ringers, Spitting Image and Horrible Histories, was grappling with a budding acting career. Meanwhile, at the same age, her German Jewish grandmother Rosi Schul, a teacher, penned in her diary her deportation to Poland by the Gestapo, enduring and witnessing the atrocities inflicted on her compatriots by the Nazis.
This forms the basis of Robinson’s book, Life Is Rosi, where the diary entries of each woman’s life experiences at a specific point in time – Grandma Rosi’s from 1938 to 1943, Robinson’s running concurrently from 2006 – are juxtaposed.
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Rosi endured a horrific internment in the Polish town of Zbąszyń, where she remained for over six months. At the same age, Robinson was attempting to sort out a mortgage.
“She was so stoic and so compassionate, and that compassion and her love for children really saved her life,” Robinson reflects.
The book interweaves humour and gravity, examining how both women navigated trauma in their youth. Robinson experienced sexual harassment by a director and an assault by a taxi driver, incidents she chose not to report.
Rosi witnessed Jews “being herded like farm animals” as they were packed into each lorry and “the filthy, stinking barn, lying on damp straw, everyone squashed together like animals, not human beings..”
Today, Robinson recognises the profound impact of her grandmother’s memories. “At 23, I was obsessing over my weight and debating whether or not a red cardigan would help manifest my wildly vacuous dreams. At 23, Rosi was being wrenched from her life and praying she’d see her family again,” she pens.
However, there were some parallels in their emotional journeys, discovering romantic moments, love and desire. And just as her grandmother had been resilient and uncomplaining at 23, so was Robinson.
“I found a lot of compassion for my younger self as well. There was one point when I was told I looked too Jewish for roles and then other times I wasn’t Jewish enough, and at that time I would just nod and go, ‘Okay, thank you for having me,’ because I’ve always been told to be a good girl, keep your head down and don’t make a fuss.”
Robinson chose to pen the book during the pandemic. She remembers: “I’ve got this thing, which I think Rosi had and my mum has, which is, keep busy, keep going. It was just in my anxiousness to keep busy, keep moving forward.”
With the world at a standstill, she decided to delve into her German roots, stumbling upon her grandmother’s diaries, although she was always aware of her story and her escape from the Nazis. In August 1939, Rosi travelled with a group of youngsters on a Kindertransport, eventually making her home in England whilst the conflict continued.
“I wonder if I would have been able to show that same dignity and drive and stoicism,” Robinson remarks. “She was quite open talking about her experiences but she did always fob them off, saying it was just a big adventure and that she didn’t suffer like other people because she escaped to Britain.”
Today, Robinson resides in Brighton with her husband, musician Jonty Fisher, whom she describes as “unbelievably kind, supportive and steady” and has undergone extensive therapy, particularly focusing on her body image.
Regarding her grandmother’s tale, she discloses that previously she’s attempted to propose it as a documentary, tried securing a spot on Who Do You Think You Are?, and even suggested it as a TV sitcom. Ultimately, she opted to pen a book about it.
A formidable figure who placed great importance on appearance and was sharp and guarded, Rosi passed away just days before her 103rd birthday in 2018. Robinson believes her grandmother would have endorsed the book.
“I think, especially with what is happening in the world at the moment and the parallels that we are seeing all over the world, that she would feel it was important that we didn’t forget.”
Life Is Rosi by Jess Robinson is published by Mudlark, priced £16.99. Available now.
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