Prisoner B-3087 Characters

Yanek is the protagonist of Prisoner B-3087. Yanek’s story is based on the real Yanek (Jack) Gruener’s experiences during World War II. When the story begins in 1939, Yanek is living with his parents… read analysis of Yanek Gruener

Moshe is Yanek’s uncle and Oskar’s brother. At the beginning of the book, Moshe lives in Kraków with the rest of Yanek’s family. Unlike Oskar, Moshe is initially skeptical of the Nazis’ new… read analysis of Uncle Moshe

Fred is a boy about Yanek’s age whom he befriends at Auschwitz. Though Yanek is wary of getting too close to another person because of the advice that Moshe gives him, Yanek finds comfort… read analysis of Fred

Oskar is Yanek’s father and Mina’s husband. Unlike his brother Moshe, who is extremely ware of the Nazi occupation of Kraków, Oskar remains optimistic even as the Nazis take over and subject… read analysis of Oskar Gruener

Yanek meets this unnamed boy, who’s around his age, on his first death march from Auschwitz to Sachsenhausen. The boy is weak and slowly starts to lag on their march. Yanek helps the boy by… read analysis of Boy

Moonface is a kapo (a prisoner in charge of other prisoners) at Bergen-Belsen whose nickname refers to his round face plagued by acne pits and scars. Moonface targets Yanek specifically, beating him whenever he gets… read analysis of Moonface

Goeth is the Nazi commandant at Plaszów concentration camp. Goeth is notorious for his cruelty, shooting Jewish prisoner at random in the parade grounds every morning. The first time Yanek goes to roll call, Goeth… read analysis of Amon Goeth

Thomas is a boy in Yanek’s barracks at Plaszów concentration camp. When Yanek discovers the crawlspace under the floorboard there, he shares this information with Thomas and another boy named Isaac. Yanek is… read analysis of Thomas

Isaac is a boy in Yanek’s barracks at Plaszów concentration camp. When Yanek discovers the crawlspace under the floorboard there, he shares this information with Isaac and another boy named Thomas. Yanek is… read analysis of Isaac

Abraham is Yanek’s uncle and Oskar and Moshe’s brother. Abraham and his wife, Fela, are allowed to continue making bread for the Nazis during the occupation of Kraków, but they also bake… read analysis of Uncle Abraham

Fela is Yanek’s aunt and Uncle Abraham’s wife. Fela and Abraham are allowed to continue making bread for the Nazis during the occupation of Kraków, but they also bake bread for Yanek and… read analysis of Aunt Fela

Holtzman is a Judenrat (a Jewish police officer who works with the Nazis) in the Kraków ghetto who raids Yanek’s apartment. Later, Yanek recognizes Holtzman as one of the prisoners he is working alongside… read analysis of Holtzman

Mrs. Immerglick is a neighbor of Yanek’s who lives in his apartment complex. Mrs. Immerglick and her family are taken to the concentration camps in a raid early on in the Nazi occupation of… read analysis of Mrs. Immerglick