A young man named Jürgen joins the military. As much as he tries to make a heroic career as a soldier in a rearmed West Germany, he fails utterly and ends up in a bizarre sanatorium.

Werner Enke
as Jürgen

Hans Fries
as Major

Birke Bruck
as The Major's Wife

Christian Friedel
as Beaty

Eric Pohlmann
as Old General

Rainer Basedow
as Jürgen's Brother

Änne Bruck
as Jürgen's Mother

Rainer Werner Fassbinder
as Soldier

E.O. Fuhrmann
as Dr. B.

Ursula Barlen
as Nurse Schanta