Klaus Eckstein

April 1945. Because he stole two bars of chocolate, the soldier Rudi is sentenced to death by the court-martial judge Dr. Schramm. Rudi manages to escape from the firing squad at the last minute, and since the end of the war has been making a meager living as a street peddler. Years later, Dr. Schramm is now a respected public prosecutor. By chance, he runs into Rudi one day on the street. Afraid that Rudi will blow the whistle on him, Dr. Schramm wants to scare him out of town. He has Rudi arrested and bullied by the police.

During WWII The German 'Wehrmacht' is heavily under fire after the invasion of Normandy. There are also a lot of women participating in the war, working at the front line as couriers for the air force. In this war, everyday, they put their lives on the line.

When seminarian Martin Rufmann arrives in St. Eustachen, idyllically located in the Carinthian mountains, the local choral society is celebrating a joyous festival. Martin is the youngest son of the widowed head forester Thomas Rufmann. Martin's older brother Friedolin has inherited his father's love of hunting and is one of the best hunters in the area. He is also engaged to the pretty innkeeper's daughter Helene Schwarzaug. At the feast, Friedolin and his cronies drink heavily to the black liquor of the charcoal burner Krauthaas. Friedolin and the townspeople Günther have a loud argument in front of everyone. When Günther is found murdered a short time later, suspicion immediately falls on Friedolin. To save his brother, Martin accuses himself of the crime. The two brothers are arrested. The real culprit soon turns himself in, but in the meantime Thomas Rufmann has disappeared without a trace.

After the fall and before the wall.