Paul Von Boerz is a young lieutenant in the Wehrmacht. Along with his battalion, he participates in the invasion of Poland, Yugoslavia, and the beginning of the invasion of the Soviet Union. He is wounded in combat while rescuing a subordinate, so he is sent to a rehabilitation center in Kielce, Poland. He hates the SS soldiers, whom he considers fanatics and privileged, working  in the already occupied zones while they are on the front lines risking their lives.