Maus Characters

Artie’s childhood friend in Rego Park.

Artie’s childhood friend in Rego Park.

A Jewish woman in Poland with whom Vladek is romantically involved before meeting Anja.

A mutual friend of Vladek and Lucia, who introduces them.

A seamstress who hides Communist documents for Anja during a police raid, and ends up spending months in prison as a result.

Anja’s mother, a religious woman who cares tenderly for her children and grandchildren, and fights to keep her family together amidst the chaos of the war. Mrs. Zylberberg dies in Auschwitz, after Haskel and Jakov Spiegelman refuse to help smuggle her and her husband out of Srodula.

A friend of Vladek’s uncle, who claims Vladek as his cousin in order to free him from German custody during his time in Lublin.

Anja’s brother-in-law. Wolfe is married to Tosha, and is the father of Bibi. He dies on a train to Auschwitz, shot while trying to escape.

Anja’s niece, the daughter of Tosha and Wolfe. Bibi dies during the war, when her mother poisons her to prevent her from being captured by Nazi soldiers during the evacuation of Zawiercie.

Anja’s niece. Lonia is the daughter of Herman and Helen, and younger sister of Lolek. Lonia dies during the war, when her Aunt Tosha poisons her to prevent her from being captured by Nazi soldiers during the evacuation of Zawiercie.

Vladek’s father, a religious man who owns a seltzer factory before the war breaks out. He is devoted to his family, and voluntarily follows his daughter Fela to a concentration camp in an effort to protect her and help care for her four children.

Vladek’s mother, who dies of cancer shortly after the war breaks out and never knows the horrors of the ghettos or concentration camps.

A Polish woman who works as Richieu’s governess in the months before and just after the war breaks out. Vladek and Anja seek help from Janina while they are trying to hide in Sosnowiec, but she refuses them.

A Jewish man from Sosnowiec, and a friend of Mr. Zylberberg. Nahum Cohn owns a dry goods store, and does business with Vladek at the beginning of the war. German soldiers hang Cohn, along with his son and two other Jews, for dealing goods on the black market.

A Jewish man from Sosnowiec, and the son of Nahum Cohn. German soldiers hang Cohn, along with his father and two other Jews, for dealing goods on the black market.

Anja’s grandfather, and the father of Matka Zylberberg. He and his wife are sent to Auschwitz, where they are immediately killed in the gas chambers, shortly after the family moves to Stara Sosnowiec.

Anja’s grandmother, and the mother of Matka Zylberberg. She and her husband are sent to Auschwitz, where they are immediately killed in the gas chambers, shortly after the family moves to Stara Sosnowiec.

A cousin of Vladek and the other Spiegelman’s, who works for the Jewish Council. During the mass registration of Jews in Sosnowiec, the Spiegelmans present their papers to Mordecai, in the hope that he can help keep them safe.

Wolfe’s uncle, the head of the Jewish Council in the Zawiercie ghetto. Persis has some influence with the German soldiers in Zawiercie, and takes Wolfe’s family — as well as Lonia and Richieu — under his protection.

The head of the Jewish Council in the Srodula ghetto. Merin is only invested in his own well-being, and cooperates with the Germans instead of trying to protect the Jews of Srodula.

A friend of Mala, who gives her a copy of Artie’s comic “Prisoner on the Hell Planet.”

Vladek’s cousin, who helps Vladek arrange his family’s escape from the detention center in Srodula.

Vladek’s cousin, the brother of Haskel and Pesach. Miloch works repairing shoes for the German soldiers. He allows Vladek and Anja to hide in his bunker during the evacuation of Srodula.

Vladek’s cousin, the brother of Haskel and Miloch. Pesach is a member of the Jewish Police in Srodula.

A young man who hides with Vladek and Anja in Miloch’s bunker. Avram trusts Vladek’s judgment, and decides he will not leave the bunker until Vladek does so.

The Zylberberg’s longtime janitor, who helps Vladek and Anja hide when they return to Sosnowiec from Srodula.

A Sosnowiec farmer who allows Vladek and Anja to hide in her barn after they return from Srodula.

A Polish woman whom Vladek meets trading goods on the black market after his return from Srodula. Mrs. Motonowa hides Vladek and Anja in her home throughout the winter of 1944.

A Jewish man from Sosnowiec, who becomes a close friend of Vladek’s during their early days in Auschwitz. Vladek and Mandelbaum plan to escape to Hungary in the same smuggling party, and are sent to Auschwitz together after the smugglers betray them.

A Jewish man from Sosnowiec. Abraham is Mr. Mandelbaum’s nephew. He volunteers to be smuggled into Hungary first, so he can report about the conditions in the country and the trustworthiness of the smugglers.

One of Vladek and Mala’s neighbors in Rego Park.

Vladek’s younger brother, who lives in Israel. Pinek deserts from the Polish army and flees to Russia with his brother Leon, where a family of peasant Jews take them in and keep them safe. He is the only one of Vladek’s siblings to survive the war.

One of Vladek’s neighbors in the Catskill Mountains, who looks in on Vladek after Mala leaves him. Mrs. Karp is a Holocaust survivor, as is her husband, Edgar.

One of Vladek’s neighbors in the Catskill Mountains, who looks in on Vladek after Mala leaves him. Edgar Karp is a Holocaust survivor, as is his wife.

Artie and Françoise’s daughter, who is born shortly after Artie begins work on the second volume of Maus.

Artie’s therapist, a Czech Jew and Holocaust survivor. Pavel helps Artie mine the complexities and moral problems inherent to telling stories about the Holocaust, and helps him confront the frightening challenges of representing Auschwitz.

A Russian Jewish man imprisoned in Auschwitz, who heads the tin shop where Vladek works after his arrival in the camp.

A Polish man imprisoned in Auschwitz, whom Vladek meets on his first night in the camp. Though they meet only once, their conversation gives Vladek a sense of hope that sustains him through the dark times to come.

A young Belgian man Vladek meets in Auschwitz. Guards write down Felix’s serial number during one selection, and he screams inconsolably throughout the night that follows as he waits to be taken to his death.

A friend of Vladek’s from Sosnowiec, with whom he reunites during the last days of the war. Vladek and Shivek spend their first weeks of freedom together, but are separated during the journey back to Sosnowiec.

Anja’s middle brother, who flees to Russia at the beginning of the war, then returns to Poland and dies in Warsaw.

Anja’s youngest brother, an artist who dies by suicide near the beginning of the war.

Josef’s materialistic girlfriend, who abandons him after he loses his money at the beginning of the war. Vladek blames Sonia for Josef’s suicide.

Vladek’s younger sister, who dies in Auschwitz.

Vladek’s younger sister, who dies in Auschwitz.

Vladek’s brother, who is imprisoned in a labor camp called Blechamer near the beginning of the war. The man who tells Vladek about Marcus’s death refuses to tell him how, exactly, he died.

Vladek’s brother, who is imprisoned in a labor camp called Blechamer near the beginning of the war. The man who tells Vladek about Moses’s death refuses to tell him how, exactly, he died.

Vladek’s brother, who deserts from the Polish army and flees to Russia with his brother Pinek, where a family of peasant Jews take them in and keep them safe. Leon dies of appendicitis.

Pinek’s wife, a Russian Jewish woman whose family harbors Pinek and Leon during the war.

A Jewish woman from Sosnowiec, whom Vladek meets in the Belsen displaced persons camp while looking for information about Anja.

A Jewish woman from Sosnowiec, whom Vladek meets in the Belsen displaced persons camp while looking for information about Anja.

A Jewish man from Sosnowiec, who is murdered when he returns to Sosnowiec at the end of the war.

Mala’s brother, who lives in Florida.

Vladek’s sister. When she is sent to a concentration camp with her four children, her and Vladek's father, Mr. Spiegelman, voluntarily sneaks into line with her in order to help her and her children. None survive.