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Lieutenant Oscar Peters
As Lieutenant Buchmann’s deputy, Sergeant Rudolf Grund (an alias) plays an important role in helping Buchmann evade having to be present during violent actions against the Jews. Grund does this by asking Buchmann if he wants to join the men on an action. Normally, it would be assumed that a Lieutenant would follow his company to any action, so if Grund specifically asked, then Buchmann knew there would be violence and could decline to join them. Additional information about Grund’s personal beliefs about the violence or whether he took a more active part in it is not revealed. However, Grund’s concern for Buchmann’s psychological wellbeing and willingness to help him avoid violence implies that Grund sympathizes with Buchmann and likely shares his aversion to the killings. Grund is one of the men from Reserve Police Battalion 101 who is tried for war crimes in the 1960s, but his case is separated from the rest due to his failing health.
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Sergeant Rudolf Grund Character Timeline in Ordinary Men
The timeline below shows where the character Sergeant Rudolf Grund appears in Ordinary Men. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 11: Late-September Shootings
...does what he can to protect Buchmann and spare him participation in the violence. Sergeant Grund, Buchmann’s deputy, helps in this by indicating when the men are assigned to Jewish actions...
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Chapter 17: Germans, Poles, and Jews
...of them. Some of the men discussed the anti-Semitism of others. For example, many accused Grund (Buchmann’s deputy) of being a real Nazi that few people liked.
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