Death Death, the collector of souls, narrates the story of a young girl during the horrific times of Nazi Germany and the Second World War. To the reader, Death insists that things "most definitely can be cheerful" while relating that it most certainly also cannot be nice. Sometimes Death is "compelled" to take action in sympathy with the human story.
Liesel Meminger The protagonist of the story is a girl on the verge of adolescence, with blonde hair and brown eyes. She is fostered by the Hubermanns after her biological father is taken away by the Nazis before the novel starts, due to being a Communist. Her brother dies and her mother is forced to send her to a foster home to avoid Nazi persecution. Liesel is the book thief referred to in the title because she is fascinated by the power of words and indeed steals several books. From a gravedigger, from a bonfire and some from the mayor's wife Ilsa Hermann.
Hans Hubermann (Papa) Liesel's foster father and husband of Rosa, Hans was a German soldier during the First World War. He is now an accordion player and painter. He develops a close and loving relationship with Liesel and becomes a source of strength and support for her. Like Liesel, he doesn't have much experience with reading. The two help each other with reading and write all the words they learn on a wall in the basement. He helps Max because Max's father saved Hans in the First World War.
Rosa Hubermann (Mama) Rosa is Liesel's sharp-tongued foster mother. She has a "wardrobe" build and a displeased face, brown-grey hair often tightly tied in a bun and. Despite her temper, she is a loving wife to Hans and mother to Liesel. To supplement the household income she does washing and ironing for wealthier households in town.
Max Vandenburg A Jewish fist-fighter who takes refuge from the Nazi regime in the Hubermanns’ basement. He is the son of a First World War German soldier who fought alongside Hans Hubermann, and the two developed a close friendship during the war. He has brown, feather-like hair and swampy brown eyes. During the Nazi reign of terror, Hans agrees to shelter Max and hide him from the Nazi party. During his stay at the Hubermanns' house, Max befriends Liesel, and they share an affinity for words. He writes two books for her and presents her with a sketchbook that contains his life story, which helps Liesel to develop as a writer and reader, which, in turn, saves her life from the bombs falling on her.[1]
Rudy Steiner Liesel's neighbor Rudy has bony legs, blue eyes, lemon-coloured hair, and a penchant for getting in the middle of situations when he shouldn't. Despite having the appearance of an archetypal German, he does not support the Nazis. As a member of a relatively poor household with six children, Rudy is habitually hungry. He is known throughout the neighborhood because of the "Jesse Owens incident" in which he coloured himself black with charcoal one night and ran one hundred meters at the local sports field. He is academically and athletically gifted which attracts the attention of Nazi Party officials, leading to attempted recruitment. His lack of support for the Nazi party becomes problematic as the story progresses. Rudy becomes Liesel's best friend and later falls in love with her.
Ilsa Hermann The wife of the mayor of Molching who employs Rosa Hubermann. She fell into a state of depression after the death of her only son Johann, in the Great War. Ilsa allows Liesel to visit, read, and steal books from her personal library. She gives Liesel a little black book which leads the girl to write her own story, "The Book Thief".[1]
Werner Meminger Liesel's little brother who died suddenly on the train with his mother and other sister, buried in a cemetery near the train tracks. His death is what allowed the first book to be stolen: a gravedigger's manual dropped by a young boy learning to work in the cemetery.[1]
Paula Meminger (Liesel's mother) Liesel's mother is only mentioned in the story a few times. She sent her children to foster care to save them from Nazi persecution. For a while, Liesel writes letters to her mother thinking there is a chance she is still alive.[1]
Hans Jr (Hans' and Rosa's son) Hans Jr is the son of Hans and Rosa Huberman. He is very supportive of the Nazi party and fights with his father about it frequently. He is eventually sent to participate in the Battle of Stalingrad.[1]
