Günter Weber Character Analysis

Weber is a young German soldier who is stationed in Lixouri, not far away from Corelli's group of Italian soldiers in Argostoli. He grew up in the mountains of Austria as the son of a Lutheran pastor, and is only able to hate Jews and Gypsies because he's never met any. Despite this, he believes fully in Nazi ideals. He meets Corelli and La Scala at the beach one day and is drafted into La Scala. He becomes the only member who cannot actually sing. As the war progresses, he spends a great deal of time with La Scala and attends meetings at Dr. Iannis's house. Weber loves the music of Marlene Dietrich and often brings his record player and records to the house. He promises to leave them for Pelagia when the war is over and makes good on that promise. However, as the end of the war approaches, the Italians surrender to the Allies, and the Italians and the Germans begin a standoff on Cephalonia, Weber becomes increasingly disillusioned with his friendships, with the Italians, and with Corelli. When he's ordered to kill Corelli's division, which includes most of La Scala, Weber lodges a formal complaint but agrees to carry out the order. He notices that Corelli survives but he doesn't kill him. Years later, Corelli goes to find Weber in Germany. He's become a pastor and seems tortured by the atrocities he committed as part of the Nazi army.