This article, “who is Vera Peschauer” contains spoilers regarding the Netflix series Russian Doll season 2.
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In the opening moments of season two, a red headed older lady hacks away at a tunnel wall and retrieves a hidden handbag from within. My first thoughts were that this is an older version of Nadia, but as the story unfolds that idea is quickly dismissed. This is in fact Nadia’s grandmother, the Hungarian Jewish elder known as Vera Peschauer. She has a significant role in season two and brings further depth to Nadia’s family history.
Who is Vera Peschauer in Russian Doll season 2?
Portrayed by Hungarian native Iren Bordan (2010’s The Debt), Vera is a stern, chain-smoking grandma. We learn that her family were removed from their homeland during the war. Then Nazi’s stole their fortune, putting all Vera’s family heirlooms on a gold train. The train was headed from Budapest to Berlin, although it went missing during the war and subsequently the wealth was forever lost. Nadia spends the second season cheating time in an attempt to rewrite history and save the family’s lost riches.
Vera is a bitter woman, shaped by a tough upbringing and hardened by war. She’s adamant the world has cursed her and her family. Living in perpetual paranoia, she frets over what could have been. To be fair to Vera, she was dealt a rough hand and the mysterious circumstances of the missing, then stolen fortune is heartbreakingly sad. On top of this, she has to mother a wayward daughter who suffers from bouts of schizophrenia.
Her daughter Lenora is a troubled soul, now pregnant with child and then to make matters worse, she’s a thief, embroiled in the robbery of her own mother’s life savings. It’s quite a predicament. Vera is clearly disappointed and truly ashamed by her daughter’s actions, but she tries her best to keep the unborn baby safe. Nadia is her top priority and with the help of her friend Delia, they do the best they can with the situation. It’s quite a tragic tale, cursed with misfortune and mothering a suicidal daughter, but the mayhem does after all birth Nadia. Our iconic lead realises these great sacrifices Vera made for her by the roll of the finale’s end credits.
Vera is a complex character with a rich history that season two lovingly explores. Like all mothers, she wants the best for her child, but struggles to cope with a wayward daughter and no real family support. Her journey with the heirlooms and consequent Krugerrands is a torrid tale of many highs and lows, which shapes the overall narrative, making for one unusual yet entertaining story.
