For those of you out there who have problem implementing some complex xmls i have a good example for you: Xml : [cc lang="xml" lines="auto"] [/cc] And this is your Class Hierarchy representing it: [cc lang="java" lines="auto" escaped="true"] @Root public class UIElement { @ElementList(name="Elements") public List divContainers; } @Root public class DivContainer { @ElementList(name="DivContainer", inline=true) public List divs; @Attribute public String name; } @Root(name="Div") public class Div { @Element(name="test") public String test; @Attribute(name="name", required=false) public String name; } [/cc] And the serialize code: [cc lang="java" lines="auto" escaped="true"] public void testXml() { Serializer serializer = new Persister(); File source = new File("c:\\tmp\\test.xml"); UIElement ui = null; try { ui = serializer.read(UIElement.class, source); } catch (Exception e) { e.printStackTrace(); } for (DivContainer divc : ui.divContainers) { for (Div div : divc.divs) { System.out.println("Value of test: " + div.test); } } } [/cc] You have to look out for two things... First note the @Root under Div tag. That is necessary there. Writing in the attribute name there is necessary too. Also the 'inline' tag. Without them it wont work. Gergely.