Paul, a young French soldier, kills his friend Walter on the battlefield. The two gifted musicians attended the same musical conservatory in France.
Fourteen years after the end of the war, Paul is still haunted by the memory of Walter's death, and he travels to Germany to confess to Walter's father, Dr. Holderlin that he was responsible for Walter's death. When Paul sees how much the family still mourns for her son, he cannot bring himself to tell the true reason for his visit and instead pretends to be a merely a friend of Walter. The Holderlins slowly accept Paul as a part of the family - almost as a replacement for their son. When Walter`s fiancé Elsa learns the truth, she pleads Paul not to tell Walter`s parents. Meanwhile in the village a rejected suitor of Elsa has stirred up the hatred against the French intruder. When some of the villagers complain about Paul to Dr. Holderlin, he berates them for their prejudice - the same hatred that has caused the previous war and cost so many innocent lifes. To Paul's surprise, the doctor accepts his apology and welcomes him in friendship, arguing that Germany's frenzy of nationalism had as much to do with his son's fate as any single person on the battlefield.

A young French soldier in World War I is overcome with guilt whenever he kills a German soldier who, like himself, is a musically gifted conscript, each having attended the same musical conservatory in France. The fact that the incident occurred in war does not assuage his guilt. He travels to Germany to meet the man's family.