# Heinz — William—An Englishman character guide

> Heinz in William—An Englishman by Cicely Hamilton.

**Role:** supporting

**First appearance:** 0005-vi

## Snapshot

A German soldier whose rough grip on William's collar and relish for the honeymooners' plight turn a comic capture into a lesson in helpless humiliation.

## Who they are

Heinz is the subordinate who collars William and drags him before his amused captain, finding genuine entertainment in two English newlyweds ignorant of the war. His knuckles between shirt and skin, his grin at their confusion, embody the casual contempt of conquerors—and the jeer that saves William's life wounds him more than the threat of death. He matters because he forces William to feel, for the first time, the stirrings of nationality he had spent years denying.

## Relationships

### [William Tully](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/william_an_englishman_se/characters/william_tully)

_rivalry_

Heinz is a German officer who interrogates and torments William, embodying the brutal enemy during the war.

### [Griselda Tully](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/william_an_englishman_se/characters/griselda_tully)

_rivalry_

Griselda confronts Heinz with fierce defiance, seeing him as the embodiment of oppression and violence.

### [The Suffragette](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/william_an_englishman_se/characters/the_suffragette)

_rivalry_

Heinz brutally interrogates the Suffragette, representing the violent suppression of political dissent.

### [William Tully](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/william_an_englishman_se/characters/william_tully)

_rivalry_

Heinz is a German officer who interrogates and torments William, embodying the brutal enemy during the war.

### [The Suffragette](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/william_an_englishman_se/characters/the_suffragette)

_rivalry_

Heinz brutally interrogates the Suffragette, representing the violent suppression of political dissent.

### [William Tully](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/william_an_englishman_se/characters/william_tully)

_rivalry_

Heinz is a German officer who interrogates and torments William, embodying the brutal enemy during the war.

### [Griselda Tully](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/william_an_englishman_se/characters/griselda_tully)

_rivalry_

Griselda confronts Heinz with fierce defiance, seeing him as the embodiment of oppression and violence.

### [Griselda Tully](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/william_an_englishman_se/characters/griselda_tully)

_rivalry_

Griselda confronts Heinz with fierce defiance, seeing him as the embodiment of oppression and violence.

## In the story

### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/william_an_englishman_se/chapters/vi)

Leads the group of soldiers who jeer at the captives and force them to run.

### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/william_an_englishman_se/chapters/vii)

Leads the prisoners into the village and orders them to halt before a white building, acting as their captor.

### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/william_an_englishman_se/chapters/viii)

Escorts William and Griselda into the room after the execution; his threats contribute to William's belief that he is about to die.

### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/william_an_englishman_se/chapters/ix)

Heinz is the German soldier who captures William and physically abuses him.

### [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/william_an_englishman_se/chapters/xiv)

Mentioned as a point of comparison when William studies the British soldiers.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/william_an_englishman_se/characters/heinz
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/william_an_englishman_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/william_an_englishman_se/characters