The Tattooist of Auschwitz Character Analysis

Lale

Lale is a young man from Slovakia, and the protagonist of The Tattooist of Auschwitz. Kind and affable, he is a romantic who has always dreamed of finding his soulmate. As a prisoner in… read analysis of Lale

Gita

Gita is a young woman from Slovakia whom Lale meets in the concentration camp at Birkenau. The first time Lale is ordered to tattoo female prisoners, he works on re-inking Gita’s identification number while Herr… read analysis of Gita

Baretski

Baretski is the Nazi officer assigned to guard Lale. In this capacity, he tells Lale that he will severely punish him if he ever does anything that will reflect poorly on Baretski himself, since… read analysis of Baretski

Jakub

Jakub is an American Jewish man who is imprisoned in Auschwitz-Birkenau while visiting family in Poland. An extremely large and strong man, he quietly tells Lale that he’s starving while Lale tattoos his identification number… read analysis of Jakub

Cilka

Cilka is an extraordinarily beautiful young woman who works with Gita in the Birkenau administration building. Unlike the other prisoners, Cilka has for some reason been allowed to avoid having her head shaved. Unfortunately, though… read analysis of Cilka

Pepan

Pepan is the tattooist at Auschwitz-Birkenau before Lale. One day, he sees Aron pleading with an officer, begging him to take Lale off of a cart of sick and dying prisoners. When the officer… read analysis of Pepan

Aron

Aron is a young man Lale meets in the cattle car on the way to Auschwitz-Birkenau. A kind and curious person, Aron looks to Lale for comfort and advice, asking questions about what Lale thinks… read analysis of Aron

Victor

Victor is a Polish man who lives near the concentration camps at Auschwitz-Birkenau with his wife and son, Yuri. Together with Yuri, he comes to Birkenau during the days to work as a paid… read analysis of Victor

Yuri

Yuri is Victor’s son, a Polish worker who comes to Birkenau by day to help construct the camp’s crematoriums. Unlike his father, Yuri is hesitant to show kindness to Lale, whom he calls… read analysis of Yuri

Leon

Leon is the assistant tattooist, working alongside Lale to ink identification numbers onto the forearms of incoming prisoners. A quiet and sensitive man, Leon is eventually taken away by Josef Mengele, who castrates him… read analysis of Leon

Herr Doktor Josef Mengele

Josef Mengele is the doctor at Auschwitz-Birkenau. A twisted and deeply unsettling man, Mengele selects prisoners upon whom he carries out medical experiments. Lale fears Mengele more than anyone else in the camps, especially because… read analysis of Herr Doktor Josef Mengele

Schwarzhuber

Schwarzhuber is a high-ranking officer at Birkenau. A cruel and unfeeling man, he rapes Cilka and forces her to become his unwilling mistress, calling upon her frequently and taking her to his bedroom. When Cilka… read analysis of Schwarzhuber

Oberscharführer Houstek

Houstek is the Oberscharführer (a senior-ranking Nazi officer) at Auschwitz-Birkenau. A terse and severe man, he approves of Pepan’s decision to appoint Lale as the assistant tattooist because he’s impressed by the fact that… read analysis of Oberscharführer Houstek

Dana

Dana is Gita’s closest friend in Birkenau. A devoted companion, she works hard to keep Gita alive when Gita contracts typhus, working alongside Ivana and Lale to nurse her friend back to full health… read analysis of Dana

Ivana

Along with Dana and Cilka, Ivana is one of Gita’s close friends in the camp. When the Nazis round up the female prisoners and force them out of Birkenau at the end of the… read analysis of Ivana

Nadya

Nadya is a woman who belongs to the group of Romany people who move into Lale’s block. At first, Lale is hesitant to embrace his new neighbors, but he soon grows fond of them… read analysis of Nadya

Mrs. Goldstein

Mrs. Goldstein is Gita’s former neighbor, who lived near her family before being taken to Birkenau. Gita is astounded to reunite with Mrs. Goldstein in her block after having already spent a fair amount… read analysis of Mrs. Goldstein

Mendel Bauer

A young prisoner who was caught after escaping Auschwitz-Birkenau, Mendel Bauer comes to Lale and asks if he can help him avoid execution. Accordingly, Lale arranges for Mendel to be put on a transport leaving… read analysis of Mendel Bauer

Friedrich

A Russian soldier, Friedrich drives Lale to and from town each day so that Lale can carry out his job as the liaison between his Russian captors and the women they want to bring back… read analysis of Friedrich

Goldie

Goldie is Lale’s sister, and the only member of his family who still lives at home when he returns from the concentration camps. Goldie tells Lale that their parents were taken by the Nazis… read analysis of Goldie

Minor Characters

Commandant Rudolf Hoess

Rudolf Hoess is the commandant of Auschwitz-Birkenau, making him the highest-ranking Nazi in the concentration camps. He is the first Nazi to address Lale and his fellow prisoners when they reach the camps, telling them that the only way to survive is by following orders.

Bella

Bella is a prisoner who works as a secretary in the administration building, where Lale goes when he needs to replenish his tattooing supplies.