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In a Soviet prisoner-of-war camp, the German soldiers Becker, Pankonin, Koralewski and Kuschke have decided to work with the Red Army against the German troops. The Baltic-Soviet Major Mauris accompanies the new comrades, now wearing Soviet uniforms, to the front.
On their long journey on the train, which is very comfortable by wartime standards, the four get to know the people and living conditions of the country they once fought against and reflect on their situation. The viewer gradually learns the story of each of them and can understand their inner development.
When they arrive at the front, only three of them decide to take up arms against their fellow countrymen. At the decisive moment, however, they hesitate to shoot at them, resulting in the death of their Soviet comrade and friend Kolja.
Meanwhile, the fourth of them, Pankonin, has taken on the task of listening in on German radio transmissions together with the Red Army woman Svetlana. He and Svetlana fall in love.
Finally, three of them, chosen by lot, are dropped behind enemy lines for a commando operation in German uniforms and are killed trying to get back to the Soviet side. Among the dead is Svetlana's lover Pankonin.
The only survivor was Becker, who had received a note from a fellow German prisoner in the camp with his address and the sentence "Mama, I'm alive".
