The book narrates the story of the Reidelstürtz family over a span of 300 years. Beginning with the time of the Thirty Years' War in the Eifel region, the geographical and historical framework extends from the Saar region through many European countries to America. The American Revolutionary War, the French Revolutionary period, the Napoleonic Wars, and the Franco-Prussian War serve as the backdrop for selected biographies that describe the fates of some family members. In addition to the documentary accompaniment of the life stories, the book also includes short narrative texts that provide the reader with an emotional connection. The history of those epochs is depicted through the eyes of the "common man" who experiences and suffers through them. Historical documents, eyewitness accounts, and accompanying illustrations convey a detailed picture.