O filme centra-se no destino de três gerações de uma família de comerciantes no norte da Alemanha, mostrando a ascensão e queda de seus integrantes. Numa sociedade pronta para a mudança, os valores familiares parecem também condenados a se transformar.
O filme centra-se no destino de três gerações de uma família de comerciantes no norte da Alemanha, mostrando a ascensão e queda de seus integrantes. Numa sociedade pronta para a mudança, os valores familiares parecem também condenados a se transformar.
Follows the lives of students and their teachers based on the director's childhood memories. The events of the film take places in the actual boarding school called "Gymnasium Canisianum", founded in 1946 by a German catholic priest.
1934, Hamburg. Adolf Hitler is about to visit the city. Hamburg's executioner falls ill, and is unable to deliver the sentence of four communists who are awaiting capital punishment in jail. Fearing that this would spoil Hitler's visit, SS leader Footh offers a local bankrupt butcher, Albert Teetjen, 2,000 Marks in order to carry out the verdict. The broke Teetjen agrees and follows suit. When his neighbors hear of the execution, they shun him. His wife cannot tolerate her husband's deed and puts an end to her life. Eventually, Teetjen also commits suicide.
