June 1940: The chemist Dr. Rainer - the alter ego of Rudolf Hanslian - meets the student Stephan on his way to vacation. Shy and with utmost caution, they approach each other, unsure of how the other will react and where he stands politically. When Stephan follows the doctor to the Salzburg Alps, a gay romance shaped by pedagogical eros develops, far from the war and nestled in idyllic nature. This previously unpublished novel, written during the Nazi era, is primarily of historical significance. The veteran of World War I and internationally recognized expert on chemical warfare surprisingly reveals an unknown side of his existence. Embedded in the love story, he addresses the persecution of homosexuals by the Nazis and recounts his arrest in 1937, the trial, and his time in prison.