A 24-year-old Polish student of hydraulic engineering from Lwów seeking treatment for mild tuberculosis. As an intersex person raised by a strict father, he harbors intense anxiety about medical examinations and traditional gender expectations. He lodges at Wilhelm Opitz's guesthouse, sitting quietly during the other men's aggressive dinner arguments while privately searching for a sense of belonging.

A young fine arts student from Berlin staying at the guesthouse. He battles an advanced stage of tuberculosis and spends his days studying paintings of natural scenery by Herri met de Bles. He warns other patients that the town hides a dangerous secret and views the local authorities with deep suspicion.

The proprietor of the Guesthouse for Gentlemen. He provides cheaper lodgings for men waiting for spots in the main Kurhaus and regularly serves them a local mushroom liqueur called Schwärmerei. He shows complete indifference to his domestic life following the sudden loss of his fourth wife, caring far more about his business.

A mysterious, collective presence observing the sanatorium. Operating primarily through a detached, third-person perspective, this voice occasionally slips into a plural point of view. The entity tracks the new arrival's movements with particular interest and maintains a deep connection to the surrounding environment.

A Viennese classical philologist and writer staying at Opitz's establishment. He harbors socialist inclinations and dominates the nightly dinner table conversations by broadcasting his views on politics and philosophy while consuming heavy amounts of alcohol.

A devout Catholic traditionalist and gymnasium teacher from Königsberg residing in a small annex attached to the guesthouse. He initiates relentless evening arguments against modern social progress and openly expresses deep prejudice against women.

A theosophist and privy counselor from Breslau staying at the guesthouse. He acts as a moderator during the heated arguments between the other men and harbors intense curiosity about the local history of the Silesian mountains.

The chief physician running the prestigious Kurhaus sanatorium. He prescribes cold baths and rigorous walks for tuberculosis patients while driving an expensive Mercedes around the town. He shows an intense, invasive interest in examining the bodies of his patients.

Wilhelm Opitz's young assistant who helps manage the guesthouse. He escorts new arrivals through the village and communicates with his employer in a thick local dialect that outsiders cannot understand.

Wilhelm Opitz's fourth wife. She is a Czech national who cooks and cleans at the guesthouse until her sudden death shortly after the arrival of a new guest. Her untouched room becomes an object of intense fascination.

A civil engineer and landowner in Poland. He possesses a rigid understanding of traditional masculinity and struggles to accept his child's physical differences, taking him to numerous doctors in an attempt to change him.

A former nanny who cared for the protagonist following the death of his mother. She indulged the young child with affection and care, offering him nicknames in Polish and Ukrainian.

An older philosopher and writer. He shares a close bond with the young art student from Berlin and visits the sanatorium to provide companionship as the illness worsens.

An officer in the Austrian army. He represents a figure of traditional military masculinity during his nephew's childhood, visiting the family estate and influencing the boy's strict upbringing.

An elderly local woman living in Görbersdorf. She spends time sewing pillowcases and preparing for the seasonal slaughter of geese alongside her companion.

A local elderly resident of the health resort town. She works closely with her companion on domestic tasks as the autumn season approaches.