On the eve of the catastrophe, his wanted poster is publicly displayed in the district town as Johann Schulz seeks refuge with relatives in a village in Rheinhessen. He is accused of having killed a police officer during a demonstration. The bounty placed on his head becomes a temptation for the villagers, and it is a matter of disposition as to who ultimately denounces the police officer's murderer. For the Nazis are recruiting in the village. One witnesses the first growth of the Hitler movement in the village. The poetess has no thesis she wants to illustrate. She does not write out of a political will, although she knows exactly where she belongs. There is great trust in her portrayal because one believes to be a witness to a natural process. The old farmers are hesitant to engage. The young ones are tempted by uniforms, car rides, adventures, and brawls. The old ones are not.