Two17-year-olds,WernerHoltandGilbertWolzow,arepulledoutofschoolandintoHitler'sarmy.Gilbertbecomesafanaticalsoldier,butatthefrontWernerbeginstounderstandthesenselessnessofwar.WhenGilbertishangedbytheSS,Wernerturnshisgunonhisownarmy.Thisfilm,basedonDieterNoll'snovel,isapoliticalandartisticmasterpiece.Itsfreshandsurprisingfranknessaboutthetollwartakesonyouthfoundgreatpublicresonanceafterthefilm'srelease.