X/Erik Brandt is a 16-year-old half-Russian, half-German boy drafted into the German army. Raised with the fear that his Russian heritage would endanger his family, he initially joined the Hitler Youth to avoid suspicion. He possesses a fluency in Russian that becomes both a strategic asset and a deeply personal survival tool when he finds himself cut off behind enemy lines. Resourceful and desperate to live, he adopts whatever identity is necessary to survive the brutal conditions of the war.

Tamara is a 15-year-old Russian nurse working in a harsh, undersupplied military hospital. Having lost much of her family to the conflict, she is emotionally guarded but fiercely dedicated to her patients. She holds a deep resentment toward both the Nazis and the Soviet Communists due to her family's past persecution. Despite the constant trauma surrounding her, she maintains a resolute capacity to care for others.

Rolf Dobelmann is a heavily scarred German veteran who leads the 7th Platoon. A former philosophy teacher, he suffered severe injuries from a grenade, losing both ears and sustaining extensive facial damage. He is a harsh but highly dedicated leader who works alongside his young recruits in the mud, prioritizing their survival over military posturing.

Hals is a young German soldier who befriends X/Erik shortly after they arrive at the front. He is practical and direct, quickly adapting to the grim conditions of trench warfare. He forms an immediate attachment to X/Erik after receiving help with a head wound, choosing to keep the extracted piece of shrapnel as a personal token.

Nikolai is a Russian patient in the Alreni hospital recovering in casts from the waist down. Despite his severe injuries and the bleak conditions of the ward, he maintains a cheerful, hopeful demeanor. He acts as a father figure to the younger patients, offering comfort, advice, and emotional stability in an otherwise chaotic environment.

Jakob is a young German recruit who travels with X/Erik to the Eastern front. He comes from a family of apple farmers and initially maintains a cheerful, irrepressible attitude, trying to ignore the visible destruction outside their train window. His journey reflects the rapid loss of youth experienced by the teenage soldiers drafted into the conflict.

Oskar is a young German recruit in the same platoon as X/Erik and Jakob. He is sensitive and easily frightened by the brutal environment, struggling to stomach the realities of trench warfare and the moral implications of their actions.

Zoya is a strict but deeply caring older nurse at the Russian military hospital. She manages the chaotic medical wards with intense discipline but shows genuine compassion for the young nurses under her supervision, understanding the emotional toll the war takes on them.

Katerina is a blond nurse working at the hospital in Alreni. As Zoya's niece, she shares the grueling daily workload of tending to the constant influx of wounded soldiers alongside the other medical staff.

Sergo is a disabled Russian veteran who serves as a guard at the military hospital. He joins X/Erik and Tamara when they are forced to flee into the wilderness, offering what little protection and companionship he can despite his physical limitations.

Elena is an elderly, half-German woman living in a damaged mansion in a Czechoslovakian town. Having lost her son to the occupying forces, she views the war itself as the true enemy rather than assigning blame to specific nationalities. She offers a rare moment of sanctuary and care to the exhausted travelers.

Gunter is Elena's deceased son and the former mayor of their town. He initially tried to cooperate with the occupying German forces to keep the peace, but was executed when he refused to participate in their atrocities against Jewish citizens.

Isaak is Tamara's brother who was drafted to fight at the front. Because of their close interaction outside the hospital, X/Erik initially mistakes him for Tamara's boyfriend, only later learning their true familial connection.

Mikhos is a wounded Russian soldier who becomes a temporary medical orderly alongside X/Erik. He is friendly and observant, sharing the monotonous and difficult daily routines of the recovering patients.

Meyer is a young German recruit in X/Erik's platoon who stands out because he is inexplicably excited about participating in the war, contrasting sharply with the dread felt by the other boys.

Willi is a very young, small German boy serving in the trenches alongside X/Erik. He represents the desperate and tragic use of child soldiers in the crumbling German military effort.

Rubin is a medical orderly at the hospital who helps bring moments of joy to the grim environment. He manages to get an antique radio and record player working, providing the patients and staff with music and news.

Boris is one of the wounded Russian soldiers recovering in the schoolhouse hospital. He participates in the daily life of the ward, passing time by talking and guessing where the other patients are from.