Gramps Is in the Resistance

A world-renowned opera singer who brings grandeur and authority to the family. She endures occupation pressures with grace, and her status amplifies the stakes of resistance. Her leadership is highlighted when she is forced to perform at a Nazi reception, sacrificing personal safety for the greater good.

A musician and leader of a Resistance cell whose death marks a turning point in the family’s wartime saga. He embodies domestic grace under pressure and the moral weight of fostering resistance from within the home. His legacy drives the family to persist despite overwhelming danger.

Presenting as an unassuming son, he is revealed to be a hidden backbone of the resistance. His leadership and ingenuity drive crucial acts of defiance, even as he hides his true identity from those who doubt him. He embodies the idea that heroism can reside behind an ordinary facade.

A former Paris Opera caretaker turned Gestapo agent, Ramirez is a fierce collaborator seeking revenge on the Bourdelles. He represents the cunning and brutality of the occupation, challenging the family at every turn. His pursuit of retribution intensifies the danger facing the protagonists.

A German general who admires Helena Bourdelle and wields considerable power in Paris. He embodies the occupying force’s authority and capricious mercy, complicating the family’s risk-reward calculus. His presence creates a tension between admiration and domination within the narrative.

The daughter and fiancée of Michel, she becomes a key conduit for resistance networks while navigating the peril of occupancy. Her resolve and loyalty help sustain the family through multiple crises. Her role bridges personal relationships and collective action.

A tenant in the Bourdelle household whose persistence draws him into the Resistance. His stubborn optimism fuels a series of adventures, and his evolving role culminates in a leadership position within the resistance movement. He embodies the unlikely catalyst for collective action.

André Bourdelle’s father, a steadying elder figure who anchors the family amid danger. His experience and wisdom provide emotional resilience and practical support for those fighting to survive. He represents the continuity of family memory through turbulent times.

A British airman captured and hidden by the Bourdelles, whose presence intensifies the stakes of sheltering allies. His existence links the family’s domestic struggle to the broader Allied war effort. His capture and potential rescue drive key plot points.

A German marshal introduced as an ostentatious figure of power and a target of the resistance’s plans. His presence heightens the drama around high-level German leadership in occupied France. His eventual capture by the resistance marks a symbolic victory in the narrative.