Two 17-year-olds, Werner Holt and Gilbert Wolzow, are pulled out of school and into Hitler's army. Gilbert becomes a fanatical soldier; but at the front, Werner begins to understand the senselessness of war.

Klaus-Peter Thiele
as Werner Holt

Arno Wyzniewski
as Sepp Gomulka

Günter Junghans
as Christian Vetter

Peter Reusse
as Peter Wiese

Monika Woytowicz
as Gundel Theiß

Dietlinde Greiff
as Marie Krüger

Angelica Domröse
as Uta Barnim

Manfred Karge
as Gilbert Wolzow

Maria Alexander
as Gertie Ziesche

Wolfgang Langhoff
as Professor Holt