Goodbye to Berlin Characters

Frl. Mayr is one of Frl. Schroeder’s boarders. She is a professional yodeler and a Nazi who often makes antisemitic comments.

Bobby is one of Frl. Schroeder’s boarders. He is a bartender at the Troika club and introduces Christopher to the nightlife culture of Berlin.

Sally Bowles falls in love with German pianist Klaus Linke. He eventually leaves her to take a job scoring films in England. However, Sally later finds out that she is pregnant with his child and proceeds to have an abortion without telling him.

Frl. Kost is one of the boarders at Frl. Schroeder’s boarding house. She is a young woman who works as a prostitute and has some wealthy clients. She also has an affair with Bobby. Frl. Kost eventually falls out with Frl. Schroeder and leaves the boarding house.

Clive is a wealthy man whom Christopher and Sally befriend. He takes them on outings and buys them gifts. After a while, he begins to plan a round-the-world trip for them all, but he ends up leaving Berlin without telling Christopher and Sally.

George/Paul is the con man who attempted to steal money from Christopher (to whom he introduced himself as George) and later successfully steals money from Sally (to whom he introduced himself as Paul). When the police catch him, Sally and Christopher learn that he is actually a 16-year-old boy.

Frau Nowak is Otto’s mother. She often fights with Otto and the rest of her family members due to how hard she works as a homemaker. She is ill with a bad cough and goes to spend time at a sanatorium, where Otto and Christopher visit her.

Herr Nowak is Otto’s father. He is a working-class German man who tells Christopher stories of his time fighting in World War I.

Lothar Nowak is Otto’s brother. He is older and studying to be an engineer. Otto’s parents often compare Otto to Lothar, whom they consider more industrious. He is also a member of the Nazi party and often goes to meetings while Christopher lives with the Nowak family.

Grete Nowak is Otto’s 12-year-old sister.

Pieps is a teenage boy whom Christopher befriends during his nights at the Alexander Casino. Pieps, who ran away from his abusive father, has traveled the world by himself and now resides in Berlin with his friends Gerhardt and Kurt.

Gerhardt and Kurt are Pieps’s friends. They spend their time at the Alexander Casino and shoplift to make a living.

Erna is one of Frau Nowak’s roommates at the sanatorium. During Christopher and Otto’s visit to the sanatorium, Christopher kisses Erna in a dreamlike state. It is the only instance of Christopher having a romantic or sexual contact in the novel.

Erika is Frau Nowak’s 18-year-old roommate at the sanatorium. During Christopher and Otto’s visit, Otto kisses Erika in a dreamlike state.

Frau Landauer is Natalia Landauer’s mother. After a mutual friend connects them, she welcomes Christopher to lunch with her family.

Herr Landauer is Natalia’s father. He is a successful Jewish businessman. Among other businesses, he owns the Landauer department store. Christopher is struck by Herr Landauer’s good-natured presence, kindness, and intelligence.

Rudi is a young man whom Christopher befriends in the communist dive bars of Berlin. Rudi is a member of a communist pathfinder group (similar to scouts), led by Uncle Peter. Christopher visits the clubhouse of the group and finds its reverent and “erotic” nature disturbing.

Uncle Peter is the leader of Rudi’s cult-like, boys-only pathfinder group. The group’s clubhouse and cult-like, erotic nature disturbs Christopher.