“Do What You Want!”: The Free-Spirited Life of Josepha Mendels

Josepha Mendels in Paris, 1954. Photo: 1954. Foto: Literatuurmuseum

On November 9, 1981, Josepha Mendels appeared as a guest on Sonja Barend's TV show, Sonja op maandag. At 79 years old, she made an exceptionally vital and elegant impression. At the end of the conversation, Barend asked if Mendels had any advice for staying healthy into old age. With an amused smile and a charming, slightly affected diction, Mendels replied: “Do what you want!” This remark perfectly encapsulated Josepha Judica Mendels (1902–1995).

A Life in Journalism and Literature

Mendels was active in journalism for many years and wrote several well-received novels. She is best remembered for her debut, Rolien en Ralien, which she wrote during World War II but was not published until 1947. The novel, based on her own childhood experiences, explores themes such as identity, loneliness, homosexuality, and family relationships.

Early Life and Career

Born in Groningen into an Orthodox Jewish family, Mendels had two older sisters, Edith and Ada. Her father was a teacher, and her mother a homemaker. As a child, Mendels dreamed of becoming an actress, but her father had other plans—she was to become a teacher. Although she successfully completed teacher training, she proved unsuited for classroom teaching. Instead, she spent several years as a private tutor and later worked for ten years as the director of Het Zwaluwnest, a training center for poor Jewish girls in The Hague.

Self portrait by Berthe Edersheim (1932). Museum Arnhem

The Move to Paris and War Years

Mendels' strong desire for freedom eventually led her to Paris. From 1936 onward, she worked as a freelance correspondent for publications such as Elsevier’s Weekblad and NRC, writing prolifically about Parisian nightlife. This period came to an abrupt end with the outbreak of World War II.

After May 1940, Mendels was no longer allowed to publish under her own name due to her Jewish heritage. She refused to comply and, as a result, transitioned from journalism to literature, beginning work on Rolien en Ralien.

During the war, she initially went into hiding in Paris before fleeing via Spain to Lisbon. She planned to fly to London from Portugal but missed her flight—a twist of fate that saved her life, as the plane was shot down by the Nazis. She eventually reached the British capital, where she worked for the Dutch radio service.

Mendels survived the war, but both of her sisters were murdered by the Nazis. After the war, she returned to Paris, resumed her journalism career, and continued working on her novel. In 1948, she gave birth to her son, Eric, whom she raised alone.

Josepha Mendels in Paris, 1949.

The Origins and Legacy of Rolien en Ralien

The first edition of Rolien en Ralien, with the rare dust jacket.

Mendels writing style is characterized by a lightness inspired by Surrealist authors such as André Breton. Although she wrote several novels, she is best remembered for Rolien en Ralien. The novel tells the story of Rolien Kolar, a young Jewish girl growing up in a household with her parents and two older sisters. Feeling excluded, she invents an imaginary playmate, Ralien, to cope with her loneliness. The book subtly references homosexuality, a bold subject at the time.

The novel’s genesis is closely tied to the turbulent period in which Mendels lived. She wrote the manuscript during World War II and carried it with her while fleeing occupied France in 1942. The original manuscript was lost, but a copy eventually reached her in London, allowing for its eventual publication.

In 1944, Mendels sent the manuscript to literary critic Jan Greshoff for review. He was overwhelmingly enthusiastic:

"My report on your book was delayed because I read it twice with some time in between. It is an excellent book that gains even more upon rereading. It is filled—literally filled—with delightful discoveries. It is different in both writing style and perspective from all other Dutch stories about childhood. And it is so remarkably well-crafted that I simply cannot believe this is a debut. [...] It is genuine and yet refined, natural yet intelligent! The only minor flaw is that, in a few places (sporadically), the tone is a little too forced. But if this is truly a first work, then speaking of 'promise' is ridiculous and unjust—it is a complete success."

Ultimately, it was Greshoff who ensured that the novel was published by Querido in 1947. The book was printed in an edition of 3,000 copies, much higher than the pre-war average, as Heimans notes. The binding and dust jacket were designed by the renowned Susanne Heynemann. Greshoff’s letter was used for the blurb—much to his dismay.

Over the years, the novel has retained its literary significance. The recent reissue by Cossee (2017) underscores its enduring relevance within the Dutch literary landscape.

A Life of Freedom

In the 1950s, Mendels lived in Paris with her son and the artist Berthe Edersheim. She spent her final years with Berthe in Eindhoven, closer to her son. However, Mendels refused to be put into a box. When her work was rediscovered in the 1980s by (lesbian or otherwise) feminists, she declined to be absorbed into their movement. Her life and work embody her personal motto: "Do what you want!"—a call for freedom, individuality, and independence.

Sources

Sylvia Riwke Heimans, De taal, het kind, de liefde. Josepha Mendels (1902-1995). Dissertation Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen, 2014.

Janet Luis, 'Josepha Mendels', in: Kritisch lexicon van de moderne Nederlandstalige literatuur.