During the last days of World War II private Rudi Kleinschmidt buys a bar of chocolate - on the black amrket. Dr. Schramm, chairman of a court martial, considers this a deed demoralizing the troop`s morale and demands capital punishment. Only seconds before the verdict can be executed, a strafer attack interrupt the execution and Rudi escapes, the execution order having accidentally landed in his hands.
Years later, during the German "Wirtschaftwunder" (economic recovery) Rudi works as a travalling salesman. He arrives in a small town where his friend Lissy lives. On one of his promotion tours he meets Schramm, now a distinguished prosecuter who is quite unsettled by this chance ensounter and even more so as the events from the war have come back to his mind. For Schramm it is most important that Rudi leaves the town as soon as possible. The police come to help, seizing Rudi`s products. In a rage Rudi destroys a shop window and steals two bars of chocolate. The case goes to court - with Schramm as prosecuter. In the heat of the examination Schramm loses track and mixes up the events, demanding - again - capitable punichment; it is only then that light is shed on the old trial.