Frau Engel

Lore & Background

Frau Engel was created by Tommy Tordsson Björk, Narrative Designer of the Wolfenstein series developed by Swedish studio MachineGames. Björk wrote the train car scene in Chapter 3 of The New Order, which introduced Engel and features a notable non-combat encounter between her and series protagonist B.J. Blazkowicz. Creative Director Jens Matthies described the terms 'freedom' and 'liberating' as Engel's defining characteristics, as her character 'cuts to the core of a fascist or Nazi ideology' and attains a liberating personal freedom at the expense of others, enabling her to dominate others at her whim. Concept artist Christopher Brändström designed Engel's head model for The New Colossus, and Swedish artist Vidar Rapp created her updated uniform for that game.

German actress Nina Franoszek portrayed Engel through performance capture. Franoszek initially hesitated to accept the role, having no experience in the video game industry, but was drawn by the script, which she compared to Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds. She researched historical atrocities, including visiting the remains of Auschwitz concentration camp and interviewing her grandfather, a former military general who survived a Siberian labour camp. Franoszek struggled to rationalize Engel's sadistic behavior, but later had a breakthrough by understanding Engel as a power-mad individual who indulges in the excitement of a power trip without inhibitions. Franoszek was also inspired by publicized allegations of sex crimes committed by men in positions of power, which informed Engel's sexually aggressive behavior toward Blazkowicz.

Reader's Guide

Frau Engel stands as a notable example of a female villain in video games, a trope that Narrative Designer Tommy Tordsson Björk considered uncommon in the industry. Her creation involved extensive development to build player connection in The New Order before positioning her as the main antagonist of The New Colossus. The character's reception was generally positive, with critics highlighting the effectiveness of her depiction as an intimidating and memorable villain. The train car scene, featured in initial previews and demos, generated positive response and sustained media interest. Engel's portrayal by Nina Franoszek involved complex research into Nazi war crimes and gender dynamics, with Franoszek concluding that Engel's sexually charged behavior is a means to degrade and control victims, having little to do with sexual attraction and more to do with demonstrating power through harassment. The character's legacy lies in her representation of a fascist ideology's core, as described by Creative Director Jens Matthies, and her role as a persistent nemesis for protagonist B.J. Blazkowicz, driven by a personal vendetta after being humiliated in The New Order.

Did You Know?

• Frau Engel was created by Tommy Tordsson Björk, who described her as a 'cool female villain' and considered writing her his proudest moment.
• Actress Nina Franoszek visited the remains of Auschwitz concentration camp as part of her research for the role.
• Franoszek described Engel's voice as 'always on the edge of hysteria'.
• The character's sexually aggressive behavior was inspired by publicized allegations of sex crimes by men in power against vulnerable women.