Jutta Schütt was born 27 October 1910 in Germany and lived in Berlin. She met Russo while he was studying in Heidelberg. Her correspondence began with Russo after he left Germany, a few months after the birth of her child. Her son, Ulrich Schütt, was born 34 March 1935. She also referred to Ulrich using a variety of names, including "Blinkins," "Justin," "Ulli," and "Bunny." Schütt was able to secure a secretarial position at "Elektroworks." She and her son temporarily lived in a home for unwed mothers. Due to financial difficulty, she was forced to change homes multiple times. Her relationship with Russo caused considerable tension between her and her family. Russo also had an affair with Lisa Schmücking before he left. This created a strained relationship for Schütt and Schmücking. Schütt assisted Russo in his writing ventures, including "St. W." ("Sterile World.") Jutta Schütt believed for a long time that Russo would return to Germany to take her and her son to the United States. As of 1939, he still had not done so.

Rose Elvira Grandinetti was born 3 June 1901 in New York, New York and lived in Hoboken, New Jersey. In 1916, while still in high school, she met Russo, who was twenty. Grandinetti married another man and likely had an illegitimate daughter (named Pat) with Russo during that period. She eventually married and lived with Russo.

Nicholas Emerson Dante [NED] Russo was born 4 March 1897 in New York, New York. He claimed to be an Italian American Roman Catholic. Russo used various forms of his name throughout his life, which resulted in the frequent scrambling of his name. Russo participated the First World War as a doctor. He spent some time in Germany, studying in Heidelberg, before returning to the United States. He had multiple affairs with women younger than him. He eventually married Vira Grandinetti, with whom he had had an illegitimate daughter, and started his own private practice. He also considered himself to be a writer.