Diederich Heßling is afraid of everything and everybody. But as he grows older, he recognizes that you have to offer your services to the powerful, to be powerful yourself. According to his new life motto he bows to those at the top and treads on those below. His behaviour makes him rise, as student and as businessman in a paper factory. He also is a loyal follower of the Kaiser and still saluts him when everything lays in ruins.