Village teacher Poetsch happens to run into the distinguished Professor Menzel, whose car is stuck on a forest road in the Mark Brandenburg. The two men quickly discover that they are both great admirers of local early 19th-century writer Max von Schwedenow. Menzel believes he has found a kindred spirit for his research and offers Poetsch an assistant professorship.

The more Poetsch becomes involved in this research, the more he sees aspects of himself in the life of his local literary hero. He discovers, however, that Max von Schwedenow, an extremely progressive author in his youth, had reversed his politics later in life. Menzel's upcoming publication, however, presents a thoroughly positive image of the writer, and his work would be worthless were Poetsch's findings to become public knowledge...

A film adaptation of a novel by Günter de Bruyn.