The Tin Drum Characters

Oskar Matzerath

Where to begin with this complicated character? Well, let's begin with his creator. Günter...

Agnes Koljaiczek (Oskar's Mother)

Oskar describes his mother as like her father—she needed to hide, and as a child was always...

Alfred Matzerath

Oskar's father meets his mother while he's recovering soldier in a hospital where his mother's a...

Jan Bronski

Jan is a bit of a sad sack who's only happy when he's with his cousin Agnes. He's turned down by...

Sigismund Markus

Sigismund is a Jewish toy dealer who supplies Oskar with tin drums. Sigismund knows about Agnes's...

Maria Truczinski

Maria's the young woman Oskar declares to be his "first love" (21.22). She's seventeen when she...

Anna Koljaiczek Bronski

Anna is Oskar's grandmother. Oskar begins his family saga with the story of how his mother was...

Bebra

Bebra's a little person working as a musical performer in a travelling circus. Oskar meets him...

Minor Characters

The Dusters are a group of children and young men who travel around Danzig in packs. Basically,...