Erich Gast

Berlin, 1805: The brave Lieutenant Hofstede fell stormily in love with the charming singer Madeleine. Although Madeleine works in a very dubious establishment and thereby embroiled her lover in a scandal.

King Frederick II and his leading advisors hesitate too long in the eyes of some officers, so Major von Schill decides to strike out on his own. He hoped that his brave move would be the catalyst for the great war of liberation. But von Schill's troops were soon defeated by a superior force of Dutch-Danish troops. The king takes a public stand against von Schill's actions and eleven of his officers are shot by summary execution on Napoleon's orders. However, one of them, Lieutenant Heinrich von Wedell, escapes death and is sentenced to forced labor for life. When Wedell's brother Karl, who opposed von Schill's unauthorized actions, learns of Heinrich's fate, he decides to help him in a risky way...

Wolfgang Staudte's first short film, which he produced in 1933 for Ethos-Film GmbH in Berlin. Staudte not only directed, but also wrote the script.