The intertwined lives of people of both Polish and German extraction who live on the pre-World War II border between the two countries are explored in this drama. Valeska is the Polish/German matriarch of a family living on the German side of the border. Her son is involved with the Hitler youth, but nonetheless keeps secret the presence on family land of a Jew who is hiding from the authorities. When the son inadvertently kills a soldier to prevent his sister from being raped, he runs away after borrowing money from the Jewish man. When soldiers come to the family's door looking for the missing soldier who had been billeted there, the Jewish man commits suicide. In another episode, one of the family's daughters marries a German soldier in a ceremony presided over by a Polish priest.
| Directing | Klaus Emmerich | Director |
| Writing | Helmut Krapp | Writer |
| Writing | Horst Bienek | Novel |
| Production | Rolf M. Degener | Unit Manager |
| Costume & Make-Up | Barbara Baum | Costume Design |
| Production | Lutz Hengst | Executive Producer |
| Sound | Günter Blumhagen | Sound |
| Directing | An Dorthe Braker | Assistant Director |
| Production | Winfried Demuss | Unit Manager |
| Camera | Michael Ballhaus | Director of Photography |
| Art | Herbert Strabel | Production Design |
| Art | Rolf Zehetbauer | Production Design |
| Production | Helmut Krapp | Producer |
| Sound | Edward Aniol | Original Music Composer |
| Editing | Hannes Nikel | Editor |
| Production | Dixie Sensburg | Production Manager |