The resourceful grandfather with his company, a life-hungry son, and a grandson, the heir who must be kidnapped: Between these three generations unfolds the true story of a family's decline in the 20th century, not due to war, which is good for business, but because each wants "only the best" for the other. Alexander Münninghoff has crafted a charming, moving novel from the intricate relationships of a family, from the sunken world between Riga and The Hague. The Dutch merchant Joannes Münninghoff leads a sophisticated life in Baltic Riga alongside his beautiful Russian wife Erica. Gradually, a drama unfolds that takes its course with the war: His son Frans joins the Waffen-SS, and the old man retreats to The Hague. Because Frans is not fit to be the heir, the grandson as the successor finds himself in trouble.