Actually, the general scientific consensus now is that Neanderthals were probably blue eyed redheads with very fair skin that could soak up what little sun was available in the cold north and make the conversion of Vitamin D that was essential to the production of broad capable childbearing female hips.
And they would provide the genes that would enable dark-skinned "out of Africa" humans to survive in the North. Probably, also much of the technology for creating warm clothing necessary to survive in the North.