Sanctuary

A defiant 14-year-old who clings to his resourcefulness and curiosity in the face of harsh discipline. His rebellious streak and vulnerability drive much of the story as he navigates the brutal routines at Freistatt. He longs for his mother and a return home, which fuels risky acts and stubborn endurance.

A pupil who enforces the group’s discipline and often acts as a proxy for the housefather’s authority. He embodies the dynamics of power, loyalty, and the pressure to conform within the pupillary cohort. His interactions reveal the gray area between care and coercion in the home.

An Afro-German pupil who forms a bond with Wolfgang and offers a perspective beyond Osnabrück. He shares a sense of alienation and models resilience through his own ways of coping with the oppressive environment. His presence highlights themes of friendship and mutual survival.

Daughter of the housefather who becomes a bridge between Wolfgang and the outer world. She harbors conflicted loyalties and acts with a mix of tenderness and guardedness. Her involvement introduces a personal dimension to the power dynamics in the home.

The house father who exercises long-standing authoritarian control in Freistatt. He blends firm rules with a paternal presence, and his actions set the tone for the pupils' experiences. His authority is a central source of conflict and fear within the group.

One of the guardians who enforces discipline with an intimidating presence. His methods include intimidation and punishment, contributing to a climate of fear and resistance among the youths. He embodies the harsher side of the institution’s surveillance.

A vulnerable pupil who is singled out for punishment, becoming a focal point of the group’s tensions. His interactions reveal how vulnerability is exploited within the system, and how others justify harsh treatment through a sense of order. His arc highlights the human cost of institutional abuse.