Rahela Ferari: The life and survival of a legendary Yugoslav actress

Rahela Ferari (1911–1994), a legendary Yugoslav and Serbian actress, is remembered for her significant contributions to theater and film, including roles in ‘Tesna koža’, ‘Davitelj protiv davitelja’, and the series ‘Grlom u jagode’.

Born Bela Marija Rozalija Rohel Frajnd in Zemun to a poor Jewish family, her early life was marked by hardship. During World War II, she survived Nazi terror by hiding in attics and basements on the outskirts of Belgrade. To avoid detection, she lived under a false identity, once using the name Ruža. On one occasion, she narrowly escaped the Gestapo when a neighbor staged a distraction by claiming she had been accepted into a theater in Pančevo, allowing her to use her acting skills to deceive the officers.

Throughout her career, she performed over 100 theater roles and more than 90 film and television roles, becoming celebrated for her comedic timing and unique energy.