For three centuries a peaceful Slavic village has remained totally free of crime. But once the war has started, some villagers try to use the situation for own advantage.
Upon the outbreak of World War II, the village is commandeered by Nazi troops. One of the villagers becomes a fascist bureaucrat, using his authority to hound his neighbor Kaya, whom he has long envied. Before Kaya's inevitable demise, the entire village has succumbed to crime, avarice, duplicity and murder.