A Glance into Hans Rosenthal's Family Life: "We laughed a lot at home"
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- "Domestic meals weren't prepared according to kosher dietary laws"
Reminiscing about their father, Gert Rosenthal (born 1958) shares heartwarming memories of their family times during a ZDF double interview with his sister Birgit Hofmann (born 1950). As a tribute to their father Hans Rosenthal (1925-1987), the centenary of whom would have been on April 2, ZDF is airing the TV biopic "Rosenthal" followed by a documentary on April 7 at 8:15 PM as "TV movie of the week" in the program. Both are available in the media library.
Hans and his wife Traudl (1927-2016) met at Berliner Rundfunk. They married in 1947 and expanded their family with two children. Their lives were a harmony of public and private, with a father seeking fame who sometimes made his family's life a challenge yet was adored by his loved ones.
Beyond the Show and Home Life
"I was proud my father had a popular TV show," reveals Birgit Hofmann, who was already 21 when "Dalli Dalli" started. Unlike her younger brother Gert, who was 13 and part of the show's target audience, she stopped watching it soon after. Only upon her husband's persuasion did she reconsider her decision.
For Gert Rosenthal, however, he fondly recalls the show as "great fun." At school, his father's fame was of little consequence. Occasionally, the famous catchphrase "That was the top!" would still bring on teasing. "I asked him to leave that out," he admits, noting that his father wisely refused.
Traudl Rosenthal's role as a wife was pivotal in the family. "She stood by my father, bolstering his spirit when he went on trips," explains Birgit Hofmann. She also exerted subtle but powerful influence over her husband: "You don't see anything happening in a family without your mother's wish," observed Birgit Hofmann's husband later. Gert Rosenthal simply puts it, "She could convince my father that his opinion was hers."
The Jewish Legacy
Having survived the Holocaust in hiding, Hans Rosenthal seldom spoke of his past ordeals to his children. "We only knew about his hiding and persecution, but the specifics were kept secret," admits Gert Rosenthal. Only after publishing his memoirs, "Two Lives in Germany," did he make his story public.
"He didn't want favoritism because he was Jewish, but he also did not wish for antipathies because he was Jewish," explains his son. It was only after attaining fame and being recognized as a "nice neighbor" by the media that he felt ready to confess his painful experiences.
The Rosenthal family, though not particularly religious, embraced their Jewish identity in a secular way. "We didn't keep kosher at home," confesses Birgit Hofmann. "Many Jewish families today do the same." She identifies herself as a non-religious person. However, in light of renewed antisemitism, she feels deeply connected to her Jewish roots.
A Fun-Loving Father
Off-screen, the siblings recall Hans Rosenthal as a passionate and playful father. "When I speak of my father, I always think of the wonderful family times, the shared vacations, the countless games we played," says Gert Rosenthal. "My father loved to play: football, chess, cards, everything. Having a father like that was a blessing."
The holiday home on the island of Föhr, which Hans Rosenthal once built, has since been passed on to his son. From the outside, the house remains the same as it was during his father's lifetime, a lasting testament of shared family times.
- Hans Rosenthal
- Children
- Gert Rosenthal
- ** Family life**
- ZDF
- Media library
- Wife
- Berlin Radio
- Brother
- Gert Rosenthal recalls his father Hans Rosenthal as a playful and passionate family man, fondly remembering the shared vacations and games they played together.
- The parents, Hans and Traudl Rosenthal, met at Berliner Rundfunk and had two children together, Gert and Birgit.
- Hans Rosenthal and his family experienced a harmonious blend of public and private life, despite the challenges his fame sometimes posed to their family's privacy.
