Fraulein

An American prisoner of war who escapes in Cologne and is sheltered by Professor Angermann. He forms a protective bond with Erika and leverages his connections in hopes of helping her start a new life in the United States.

Professor Angermann’s daughter who initially distrusts the American ally but hides him from German troops. Her experiences reflect fear, resilience, and the moral complexities of love amid war.

A military officer who is drawn to Erika and saves her life, but has expectations of reward. He embodies the moral ambiguities and coercive dynamics that can arise in wartime leadership.

A German sergeant who appears during Erika’s perilous period, representing the threat and crackdown of occupying forces.

A kindly military policeman who helps Erika by facilitating her escape and later processing her passport, effectively erasing her occupation to allow a fresh start.

Erika’s fiancé, a crippled war veteran living in a makeshift shelter. He embodies the bitterness and disruption veterans faced returning home from war.

A vocal Nazi supporter who, with his wife, runs counter to Erika’s fate and attempts to control her postwar path, illustrating opportunism amid chaos.

A nightclub pianist who aids Erika’s escape and helps her navigate the shift from occupied territory to the American sector.

Erika’s cousin who lodges with the Graubachs; he dies while attempting to stop a drunken assault, highlighting civilian peril during wartime upheaval.

Erika’s father figure whose home is struck by a bomb, killing him and prompting Erika to flee the collapsing city.

A outspoken Nazi sympathizer who betrays Erika to save herself, later revealing the opportunistic moral calculus that war empowers.