Franz Maedler: Captain in the German Army. Wounded in Stalingrad, he has been sent home to Berlin. He loves Katrin Weber and wants to marry her.
Friedrich Maedler: Franz’s older brother, he works in German Military Intelligence. Devoted to his work and to his brother.
Klaus Maedler: Father of Friedrich, Franz, and Georg. Nazi Party Kreisleiter of Wilmersdorf, he is a staunch supporter of Hitler.
Magda Maedler: Mother of Franz, Friedrich, and Georg. Devout Christian, good friend of Katrin’s mother and the Bonhoeffer family. Deceased since 1937.
Georg Maedler: Youngest son of Klaus and Magda. Died in a U-boat off the coast of Greenland in 1941.
Katrin Weber: Opinionated. Impulsive. Fully dedicated to her faith. She loves Franz Maedler, but is afraid that his experiences at war may have changed him.
Gustav Weber: Katrin’s father. Professor of Classics until he was removed from his post for supporting his Jewish colleagues.
Renate Weber: Katrin’s mother, she was the best friend of Franz’s mother.
Reinhold Weber: Katrin’s brother, pastor who studied under Dietrich Bonhoeffer and fled to Switzerland.
Karl Muntzer: Colonel in the German Army, he leads the Carpool office at Army High Command. Efficient and demanding, he nonetheless has a bit of a soft spot for Franz Maedler.
Erich Nonnheim: Sergeant on overnight duty at the OKH Carpool message center.
Ulrich Rothberg: Owner of Rothberg’s Bakery on Unter den Linden and employer of Katrin Weber.
Father Peter Fellner: Priest at St. Hedwig’s Cathedral and St. Matthew’s Church.
Matthias Hoffman: Pastor in the Confessing Church and friend of Katrin’s family.
Ursula Wahl (a.k.a. Brunhilda): Housekeeper for Klaus Maedler, devoted employee and devoted Nazi.
Luisa Hilgenberg: Matron of the local Bride House, where young women are trained to become proper National Socialist wives.
Gretchen Fürsich: The prize student at Frau Hilgenberg’s Bride House.
Üli Kästler: Intelligence attaché assigned to Swiss Embassy in Berlin.
Estella: Involved in resistance work.
Samuel and Greta Fischer: Jewish “Tauchers” from Berlin.