Based on the life story of Wehrmacht corporal Willi Herold, this film portrays the total loss of morale in German society several weeks before the country’s definitive defeat. Young Willi escapes certain death by donning the abandoned uniform of a decorated Luftwaffe captain. He takes to his new “identity” surprisingly quickly, soon taking decisions concerning life, death and mass executions. After all, it is the stars on his epaulettes he has to thank for his life, as well as his enormous new power. This provocative drama caused quite a stir well before its release, at a time when primarily local politicians pushed for legislation voicing national pride in the service of Nazi Germany’s armed forces.