Much more interesting are the colors of Tonda's, Lyschko's and Krabat's clothes.
Their clothes have colored elements that also have symbolic meaning. Tonda is dressed in a red jacket, which immediately makes him stand out among the others. Red is a signal color, and in the Christian faith, it is the color of the Holy Spirit or the blood of the martyrs.
If we look closely at Tonda's role, we can certainly recognize the truth in this Christian interpretation. Tonda is the soul of the company at the mill, and he is always ready to help and take care of Krabat. Moreover, after losing Woshula and engaging in an internal struggle with the master, he certainly displays the traits of a martyr. Tonda accepts his death; he has come to terms with it because he has lost the most precious thing in his life—his girlfriend.
Furthermore, the color red symbolizes the danger that Tonda constantly faces. When Lobosch later wears Tonda's jacket, the red color has significantly faded.
In contrast, Lyschko wears a yellow jacket. Yellow is the color of envy ("to turn yellow with envy"), greed, decline, and, to some extent, madness. This symbolic power is reflected in the character of Lyschko. He is the master's favorite and sometimes receives better food, which clearly indicates... many things.
Additionally, at the beginning of the movie, he appears as a jealous and envious spy. It is only towards the end of the movie that the perspective on Lyschko's role changes when he brings the ring to Kantorka. When the journeymen leave the mill, Lyschko's jacket is unbuttoned, and he looks very careless. He is no longer pure yellow, but rather dirty and worn out.
Krabat wears a white shirt, and his vest is in greenish tones. White is the color of purity, innocence, or infinity. However, according to Sorbian beliefs, it symbolizes mourning. This mourning is also evident in Krabat. He lost a friend at the mill. Other meanings of this color are also well suited to the role of Krabat. Green is the color of nature, naturalness, and positivity. However, in Christianity, green also represents the color of resurrection and Easter. Therefore, this color already indicates Krabat's later role. He often wears clothing of this color after hearing Kantorka's singing for the first time.
