The Berlin Affair

Lonely wife of a senior diplomat who seeks connection through art and forbidden romance. She experiences a awakening of longing that challenges her marriage and social conventions. Louise narrates her own story, exposing how love and fear shape her decisions.

A high-ranking diplomat whose career hinges on appearances and political ambition. He grows jealous and suspicious as rumors swirl, yet he oscillates between suspicion and forgiveness. His actions reveal the fragility of status when private affairs become public scandal.

A young Japanese ambassador's daughter who captivates Louise and catalyzes a heated affair. Charismatic and confident, Mitsuko asserts control over her love, while orchestrating intrigue to protect her relationship.

A general whose homosexuality becomes a weapon in the hands of the regime. He is ensnared in a trap that ends his career and forces him to flee, illustrating how personal life can become a political liability.

A Gestapo officer and Heinz’s cousin who engineers the exposure of von Heiden. He embodies the regime’s penchant for power, manipulation, and using others’ private lives to advance state aims.

A half-Italian drawing instructor whose relationship with Mitsuko becomes a pawn in others’ schemes. He is drawn into blackmail and political maneuvering as the regime seeks to control social ties.

A literature professor who serves as Louise’s confidant and narrates the story. He provides intellectual distance even as the characters’ passions pull them into perilous choices. His involvement ends with an arrest that leaves Louise to face the consequences alone.