Characters
1. Elie Wiesel: Narrator. Lives for father. Begins as a religious person. Faith tested
2. Mr Wiesel: Dies in camp from dysentery. Leader in the community. Good father
3. Mrs.Wiesel and Tzipora: Mother and sister who die at the camps. “Men to the left Women to
the right”
4. Hilda and Bea: 2 sisters who live
5. Moshe the Beadle: Poor man, religious guide for Elie. Escapes the horror but no one believes
his stories. Dies an emotional death
6. Madame Schchter: Crazy lady on the train who screams fire. Burning eyes. They beat her.
7. Stein from Antwerp: relative of Elie. Elie lies to him about his family to keep him going.
8. Martha: servant of the Wiesel family. She tries to get them to run away.
9. Hungarian Police Officer: Bangs on the window to warn the family, but leaves before he
contacts them.
10. Meir Katz: The strong man of the village. Saves Elie on the train. He stays on the train and
dies.
11. Zalmun: Trampled to death on the march
12. Rabbi Eliahou: Son leaves him behind on the march. He thinks son has just “lost” him. The
situation inspires Elie to pray despite his anger at God.
13. Akiba Drummer: Gives up faith. Gets selected. Asks the others to say a prayer for him in
three days. They forget.
14. Juliek: Plays violin as his last act.
15. French Girl: She’s not French. She gives encouraging words to Elie in German.
16. Idek: the top Kapo at the factory. Crazy and unstable. Whips Elie for seeing him with a girl.
Beats Elie’s father and Elie gets mad at the father.
17. Franek: Another Kapo, not as crazy as Idek, but cruel. Tries to get Elie’s tooth by punishing
Elie’s father.
18. Dr. Mengele: Cruel doctor we meet on two occasions, one being when Elie first arrives at
Birkenau?Auschwitz
19. Pipel: a huge symbol in the book. Sad eyed angel. Where is God?