Anna von Striesow takes charge of her family estate when her parents are threatened by the Nazis. Tannbach is split between the Americans and the Russians.
Prague is invaded by the Russians, Anna meets several comrades who decide that as Anna is not bringing up her children as good communists, they vote on her future.
After the end of WW2, the owners of large estates in Germany see their land taken off them and are banned from visiting their former estates. The village Tannbach initially falls into the Russian controlled sector of Germany.
The town is divided, with Americans governing one side and Russians governing the other. Conflicts become personal as friendships are compromised. The trial against Franz Schober.