# Brunswick — The Castle character guide

> Brunswick in The Castle by Franz Kafka.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Brunswick, Hans Brunswick

**First appearance:** 0006-v

## Snapshot

A village shoemaker whose ruin began with a Castle official's note to his daughter Amalia, and who now wears out his remaining strength petitioning bureaux that will not hear him.

## Who they are

Brunswick was once a respected tradesman, third in command of the Fire Brigade, with customers and standing in the village. After Sortini's note to Amalia and the family's refusal to grovel, he loses his business and begins filing senseless petitions to superintendents, secretaries, and advocates, most of whom never receive him. His slow collapse — and the family's betrayal of Amalia's silence in their scramble for forgiveness — is the novel's clearest picture of what the Castle does to those who try to argue with it.

## Relationships

### [Klamm](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_castle_se/characters/klamm)

_professional_

Brunswick, a shoemaker, has a contentious but deferential professional relationship with Klamm, seeking his favor.

### [K.](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_castle_se/characters/k)

_rivalry_

Brunswick is a rival of K. in the village, competing for status and access to the Castle's favor.

### [K.](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_castle_se/characters/k)

_rivalry_

Brunswick is a rival of K. in the village, competing for status and access to the Castle's favor.

## In the story

### [Amalia's Punishment](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_castle_se/chapters/amalia-s-punishment)

Gives notice and seizes the opportunity to set up his own business.

### [Petitions](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_castle_se/chapters/petitions)

Hires Barnabas as an assistant, taking a risk for the family's sake.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_castle_se/characters/brunswick
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_castle_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_castle_se/characters