Germany, December 1941. While the war situation of the Wehrmacht in Russia was getting more and more difficult, the friends Traute, Hans, his two sisters, Sophie and Inge, as well as Freddy and Ulla went skiing to the Coburger Hütte in Tyrol. Shurik, Hans' best friend, apologizes for not joining, but he stays present in Hans' thoughts. After months in the war labor service, Traute is looking forward to seeing Hans again, with whom she fell in love during the summer.

Almost 14 months later, Hans and Sophie are arrested while distributing leaflets at the university and sentenced to death.