Character Relationship Map: Wild Mouse

Characters

• Georg (played by Josef Hader) — protagonist

  A 55-year-old respected and feared music critic for a Viennese newspaper. After being unexpectedly fired by his editor-in-chief, he conceals the news from his wife and uses his newfound free time to r...

• Johanna (played by Pia Hierzegger) — protagonist

  Georg's 43-year-old wife. She wishes to have a child with Georg but has not been able to conceive yet. She remains unaware of her husband's sudden dismissal from his long-standing job as a music criti...

• Erich (played by Georg Friedrich) — supporting

  Georg's former schoolmate. He assists Georg in renovating and operating a disused roller coaster track, providing a creative outlet and a sense of purpose after Georg's sudden unemployment.

• Waller (played by Jörg Hartmann) — supporting

  Georg's editor-in-chief at the Viennese newspaper. He unexpectedly terminates Georg's employment due to budget cuts, which serves as the catalyst for Georg's subsequent actions and his escalating reve...

• Nicoletta (played by Crina Semciuc) — supporting

  Erich's Romanian partner. She joins Erich and Georg in the project of restoring and running the roller coaster track, supporting Georg during his transition out of his corporate career.

Canonical Relationships

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

• Waller → Georg (Professional Editor-in-Chief) — Waller is Georg's professional superior at the newspaper.

  Waller is Georg's editor-in-chief at the Viennese newspaper and terminates Georg's employment.

• Erich → Nicoletta (Romantic Partner) — They are partners who participate in the roller coaster project together.

  Nicoletta is explicitly identified as Erich's Romanian partner.

• Georg → Johanna (Family Husband) — They are married, but Georg hides his dismissal from Johanna.

  The plot identifies Johanna as Georg's wife and states that she wants to have a child with him.

Story Dynamics

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

• Georg → Nicoletta (Alliance Project Collaborator) — Nicoletta is part of Georg's small restoration team.

  Georg works with Erich and Erich's partner Nicoletta to restore the roller coaster track.

• Georg → Erich (Social Former Schoolmate) — Their earlier acquaintance becomes relevant after Georg loses his job.

  The plot describes Erich as Georg's former schoolmate.

Story Analysis

After losing his respected career, Georg hides the truth, seeks purpose in restoration, and lets revenge threaten his carefully built life.

Plot Progression

1. The Dismissal — Georg is introduced as a respected Viennese music critic. Waller unexpectedly fires him because of budget cuts, and Georg hides the loss from Johanna.
2. A New Distraction — Georg suddenly has free time after losing his job. He reconnects with Erich and joins Erich and Nicoletta in restoring a disused roller coaster track.
3. Resentment After Dark — While the restoration project offers Georg a new focus, his anger toward Waller grows. At night, he begins with small acts of damage against Waller's car.
4. The Bourgeois Mask — Georg's revenge escalates beyond minor vandalism. His concealed unemployment and retaliatory behavior begin threatening the stable bourgeois life he built with Johanna.
5. Existence Under Threat — Georg's conflict with Waller reaches a dangerous level and puts his private existence at risk. The consequences of his secrecy and revenge converge in a life-changing climax.