Character Relationship Map: Babylon Berlin

Characters

• Gereon Rath (played by Volker Bruch) — protagonist

  A young police inspector transferred from Cologne to Berlin to investigate a porn ring linked to the Berlin Mafia. His case uncovers wider corruption, drug dealing, and weapons trafficking, forcing hi...

• Charlotte Ritter (played by Liv Lisa Fries) — protagonist

  A stenotypist working alongside Gereon Rath and his partner Bruno Wolter. She confronts a tangled web of corruption, drug dealing, and weapons trafficking as they investigate the case.

• Alfred Nyssen (played by Lars Eidinger) — supporting
• Günter Wendt (played by Benno Fürmann) — supporting
• Hans Litten (played by Trystan Pütter) — minor
• Ernst Gennat (played by Udo Samel) — minor
• Marie-Luise 'Malu' Seegers (played by Saskia Rosendahl) — minor
• Walter Weintraub (played by Ronald Zehrfeld) — supporting
• Esther Kasabian (played by Meret Becker) — supporting
• Elisabeth Behnke (played by Fritzi Haberlandt) — supporting
• Dr. Völcker (played by Jördis Triebel) — minor
• Anne-Marie Nyssen (played by Marie-Anne Fliegel) — cameo
• Wilhelm Böhm (played by Godehard Giese) — cameo
• Moritz Rath (played by Ivo Pietzcker) — cameo
• Toni Ritter (played by Irene Böhm) — cameo
• Albert Grzesinski (played by Hans Martin Stier) — cameo
• Jacob Grün (played by Moisej Bazijan) — cameo
• Fred Jacoby (played by Peter Jordan) — cameo
• Gustav Heymann (played by Martin Wuttke) — cameo
• Samuel Katelbach (played by Karl Markovics) — minor

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Charlotte Ritter → Gereon Rath (Investigative Partners) — Core police partnership characterized by mutual reliance, shared confessions, and collaborative case management.

  "In episode 5, Rath confesses to Charlotte, who asks him to investigate Benni's death, demonstrating deep operational trust."

• Charlotte Ritter → Toni Ritter (Sister) — Toni is Charlotte's older sister, providing personal support and sharing family burdens.

  "In episode 2, Charlotte is visited by her older sister Toni, and in episode 10, Toni's job takes an unexpected turn."

• Gereon Rath → Helga Rath (Spouses) — Married couple navigating personal health crises and professional dangers.

  "Both secretly visit a doctor in Episode 1; a crisis bonds Helga and Rath in Episode 11."

• Walther Stennes → Esther Kasabian (Coup Leader vs Faction) — Stennes commands the SA rebellion, triggering a violent power struggle against rival paramilitary forces.

  "In episode 12, the SA and SS face each other in the Stennes Putsch, directly resulting from his rebellion."

• Gereon Rath → Moritz Rath (Father and Son) — A father-son relationship marked by guardianship and the transfer of the boy to a secure location.

  "In episode 6, Rath brings Moritz to the castle, highlighting their protective familial bond."

• Alfred Nyssen → Günter Wendt (Political-Business Alliance) — A high-level alliance where a politician secures industrial backing through direct negotiations and shared ambitions.

  "In episode 3, Councillor Wendt pitches his plans to Nyssen, indicating a strategic political and economic partnership."

• Gereon Rath → Walther Stennes (Informant Contact) — A tense professional link where Rath gathers intelligence from imprisoned Stennes, who later becomes a major political threat.

  "In episode 3, Rath visits Stennes in prison, and later Stennes actively plots a coup against Hitler."

• Gereon Rath → Walter Weintraub (Target) — Weintraub is a key suspect whose testimony Rath actively seeks to advance the investigation.

  "In episodes 8 and 10, police desperately search for Weintraub, who is eventually forced to talk to reveal information."

• Alfred Nyssen → Marie-Luise 'Malu' Seegers (Political Ally) — Marie-Luise acts as a political conduit for Nyssen, facilitating deals and accessing influential circles.

  "In episode 7, Nyssen presents a proposal to Gen. Seegers, and in episode 9, Marie-Luise approaches Katelbach's landlady with an offer."

• Gereon Rath → Wilhelm Böhm (Colleague) — Böhm accompanies Rath and Ritter on sensitive investigations, providing backup and police support.

  "In episode 5, Rath, Charlotte, and B\u00f6hm attend Rot's mysterious event together."

• Alfred Nyssen → Anne-Marie Nyssen (Mother) — Anne-Marie is Alfred's mother, and their relationship involves complex financial and emotional dynamics.

  "In episode 9, Nyssen finds a way to get his mother's money."

• Gereon Rath → Ernst Gennat (Superior and Subordinate) — A strained professional hierarchy where Rath pursues controversial operations against his superior's skepticism.

  "In episode 10, despite Gennat's doubts, Rath organises a meeting with all of the wrestling club bosses."

• Alfred Nyssen → Helga Rath (Spouses) — Married couple navigating public social events while facing private threats and kidnapping attempts.

  "In episode 1, Nyssen throws a huge party with Helga, and in episode 9, Helga tries to escape from kidnappers."

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Marie-Luise 'Malu' Seegers → Dr. Völcker (Co-conspirators) — A dangerous partnership driven by a shared lethal objective that eventually faces internal doubt.

  "In episode 9, Malu Seegers and Dr V\u00f6lcker pursue a deadly plan together, later rethinking it in episode 10."

• Elisabeth Behnke → Samuel Katelbach (Rescuer and Protected) — A protective alliance where Behnke orchestrates a dangerous rescue operation to save Katelbach from criminal threats.

  "In episode 7, widow Behnke tries to help Katelbach, and in episode 8, she kicks off a high-stakes rescue plan."

Story Analysis

A four-season arc tracing political corruption, criminal conspiracies, and personal trauma in Weimar Republic Berlin.

Plot Progression

1. Season 1: Berlin Descent — Rath arrives in 1929 Berlin, navigating train hijacking conspiracies and police procedural challenges while establishing his foothold in the city's criminal underworld.
2. Season 2: Reichswehr Crisis — Investigations escalate into geopolitical conflict as Rath uncovers Black Reichswehr plots, leading to high-stakes train interceptions and psychological breakthroughs.
3. Season 3: Benda Conspiracy — Rath delves into the Benda murder case, confronting political sabotage, media manipulation, and systemic corruption while navigating personal and professional setbacks.
4. Season 4: Political Upheaval — Economic collapse and paramilitary rise trigger gang wars, boxing fraud investigations, and a decisive political coup, forcing Rath to adapt to a rapidly changing Berlin.
5. Season 4 Finale: Putsch & Resolution — The Stennes Putsch culminates in SA-SS clashes, police intervention demands, and the revelation of long-hidden truths, bringing the narrative to a tense but resolved close.