Maria is a capable, disciplined secretary in businessman Münzinger's office and Anna's sister and housemate. She manages practical matters at home and urges Anna to finish her studies, believing success will give her more choices. Her wish to help becomes entangled with pressure and control, leaving her to confront grief and doubts about her role in Anna's death.
Ruth is the widowed mother whose concealed wartime history drives the investigation. After her husband’s death, she covers the television and mirrors and suddenly adopts Orthodox Jewish practices, while refusing to explain herself. Her daughter Hannah seeks Lena to understand Ruth’s childhood as a Jewish girl in Nazi Germany.
Juliane is a feminist journalist who campaigns for women's right to abortion and serves as the film's central perspective. She rejects Marianne's revolutionary methods, yet repeatedly visits her in prison, investigates her death, and later cares for Marianne's child. Her search for the truth consumes her relationships but ultimately preserves Marianne's story.
Jutta Lampe has 15 screen credits in a career dating back to 1963. Signature works include Sisters, or The Balance of Happiness, Marianne and Juliane, Schuld und Sühne. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.
