About Gottfried

Gottfried is a soft-spoken, understated father and psychologist with a deep sense of idealism and integrity, whose sole purpose in life is to help others and fix society’s more profound problems. Born to a depressed German father and a hysteric Jewish mother, Gottfried has spent his whole life getting to the heart of mental illnesses, currently focusing on the pioneering work done on the human psyche. If he just wouldn’t focus so intently on his ideals, he might actually take care of himself and his daughters one day.

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About Gottfried

Gottfried’s story is one of finding purpose.

Gottfried's tale starts when he can no longer find a way out of the violent subordination to his crushing debts and attempts suicide. He is saved by his long-lost friend, Vincent Fontaine, who promises to pay off his debts and introduces him to the courtesan Rosa Leyen.

As a result of his debts, he is being accused of breaking his marital vows and, in a meeting with his attorney, finds out he will lose guardianship over his daughters, Zara and Tzirre.

Gottfried then finds a letter that turns out to be a marriage certificate between Von Gapp, his attorney, and Elise Aigner, his ex-wife.

Feeling betrayed by the undisclosed marriage, Gottfried takes back his daughters, Zara and Tzirre, in a wild kidnapping, only to encounter a man in his living room inquiring into Rosa Leyen. When Gottfried cannot provide the necessary answers, the man murders both his girls.

After another failed suicide attempt, Gottfried requests Vincent to look for Rosa, who, after being saved from ruthless pursuit, spills the story of far-reaching currency reform: the scheme of the century.

After a radical change in character, Gottfried heads to Elise to kidnap her and use her for leverage to force Von Gapp to draft a total debt amnesty, setting in motion the Viennese revolution. Unfortunately, the revolt turns out to be a disaster as many are murdered, and the city burns to the ground.

Only when Gottfried manages to escape the madness, he starts to find a new purpose in life to slowly become who he is.

Read Gottfried's entire story (Spoiler Alert!)
Read Gottfried's narrative arc

Affiliated Characters

Learn about Gottfried's loved ones.

Johan von Gapp

Gottfried Todenhöfer’s corrupt lawyer. He uses technicalities to get his wealthy and well-paying clients to avoid the scope of law without directly violating it. A master at manipulating and gaming the financial system.

Zara & Tzirre Todenhöfer

Gottfried Todenhöfer’s twin daughters. Although Gottfried has done his best to shield them from any emotional damage, they have become torn between parents. They love everything about nature and the outdoor life and are carefully guarded against their father by their mother, Elise Aigner.

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Elise Aigner

Elise Aigner is Gottfried's ex-wife. As a representative of order and tradition, she takes pride in knowing what is right, wrong, and socially acceptable. Elise is too high-strung for a life as a divorcee. And it’s all starting to take a toll on her.

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Mrs. Fröhlich

Mrs. Fröhlich is Gottfried Todenhöfer’s overprotective housemeisterin, who persists in interfering in her tenant’s lives long after deemed acceptable.‍

A short video about the characters

It’s Sunday the 14th of October, 1888, and in the city of Vienna, where the value of one’s bank account is more important than that of a human life, something doesn’t seem to add up…

Read about the narrative arc

Other Characters

Read about the other characters in The Greatest Debt

Manuel Kronenberg
Chief of police
Vienna’s racist, corrupt and highest-ranking official of the k.k. Gendarmerie, lacking any regard for the rights of whom he is accusing, who also happens to be the Minister of war.
Michael Splindegger
Minister of finance
Konstantin Goldschild
The Goldschild family’s most sadistic member who often executes the evil plans to his brother’s ruthless plots. Willing to do anything, he frequently tells copious amounts of life-destroying lies or simply eliminates his rivals when lies will not do.
Vincent Fontaine
Artist
A wandering, flamboyant and charismatic artist who changes during the course of a day. Vincent can wake and be one person and go to sleep as someone else. Found and adopted by the wealthy Fontaine family, Vincent grew up a dashing young aristocrat who soon got bored from his privileged life. To distract himself from his sense of ennui, he finds a great deal of joy in pushing the limits of social convention with his art and upsetting traditional expectations but is starting to unravel under the pressures of the cultured world.
Rocco Romano
Hired gun
A ruthless yet principled former mercenary whose life finally seems to catch up with him. Born on the lawless streets of Naples and into the infamous Bella Società Riformata, Rocco grew disillusioned with his brother’s authority and left his family at the age of sixteen, angry, damaged, and alone. The life of a mercenary is all he has ever known since, holding back none of his time and energy to complete each assignment with stubborn dedication, which also happens to be his core weakness that less scrupulous individuals eagerly take advantage of.
Nathaniel Goldschild
Banker
A banker committed to continuing his family legacy with an intense desire to be the grand designer and prime mover of the new financial world order. He has supreme confidence in his abilities and the authority to make the necessary changes.
Gottfried Todenhöfer
Psychologist
A soft-spoken, understated father and psychologist with a deep sense of idealism and integrity, whose sole purpose in life is to help others and fix society’s more profound problems. Born to a depressed German father and a hysteric Jewish mother, Gottfried has spent his whole life getting to the heart of mental illnesses, currently focusing on the pioneering work done on the human psyche. If he just wouldn’t focus so intently on his ideals, he might actually take care of himself and his daughters one day.
Carolina Romanova
Philosopher
A gifted philosopher and arbiter of justice, who, for many, exudes confidence and an aura of mystery. Born in St. Petersburg to a strict Protestant family, Carolina has grown to resent the Reformed church at a young age. She has intellectually pursued philosophy ever since. Her perception is insightful, her ideas original and her logic formidable. And she can push through change with iron willpower. Unfortunately, she often finds it challenging to find gifted minds like her, leaving nobody able to keep up with her relentless intellectualism.

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