A village simpleton lives in a shack with his ailing mother. His neighbours are the Jewish family of the local blacksmith, Mendel, and the young man is secretly in love with his youngest daughter, Sonya.
When the war breaks out, the Germans swiftly occupy the village. Panic sets in among the Jews, including Mendel’s family, and they try to set up a hiding place in their home, which the young man discovers. Hoping to get his hands on the blacksmith’s house, he reveals this secret to the Germans, but is taken away by the German military police to their headquarters. The boy finds Sonya in his vegetable garden and decides to save her life, without realising the difficulties this decision will bring for everyone.
