Der Hauptmann und Sein Held plot
In the last year of the war, the young Paul Kellermann enlists voluntarily. His girlfriend Ilse is very impressed. But in the army, the company commander, Captain Eisenhecker, keeps Paul very tight. For Eisenhecker, Paul becomes the epitome of the effeminate citizens, the terror of his instructors and the worst man in the company. Resigned, Paul lets everything come over him. But during a walk with Ilse they are surprised by an air raid. Firebombs are falling at the nearby military district headquarters. Paul is ordered to help with the clean-up and accidentally finds a blank certificate for the award of the Iron Cross second class. Without thinking, he takes the paper home.