There is a drive hunt in the high mountains of central Germany. When a young girl shoots her father's affair in the heat of the moment, she accuses the outsider of the group, triggering a manhunt that quickly becomes a matter of life and death.

The calendar page shows the year 1944. Wendel (12) is equally fascinated by the marching soldiers with their rhythmic steps and the promising rustle of the books that were banned at the time. Walking to the blue kiosk, fishing for fish with carbide, collecting shell splinters, and also the dream of studying in a big foreign city.
Suddenly, however, all this becomes a distant memory. During a field exercise of the Jungvölkler, Wendel and his best colleague Richard (12), called "Bear", conceal the escape of a prisoner. Their dutiful commander Helmut (14) personally takes over the punishment of the two. Wendel has to bury his friend single-handedly in a foxhole. There he must guard him until the sun rises again and Helmut gives permission to free him.
Wendel fears the consequences too much to dare to free Richard from his cold prison. When the shrill wail of the siren breaks the cold silence of the two, it is already too late. Airmen roar and thunder through the night. Richard dies in his foxhole during the air raid. The last thing Wendel sees of his friend is his blood-encrusted hair.
Suddenly, he no longer believes in the war. Wendel feels guilty, almost choking on his anger. He seeks revenge. He wants Helmut dead. With his own hands and the most necessary knowledge, he builds a bomb. At the same time, but hidden deep inside him, a thought grows in Wendel: If he could turn back time, he would do everything differently this time.
Wendel detonates his homemade bomb, but Helmut survives. The wave of guilt breaks over him again, taking his breath away. And he finds a way to return on the anniversary of Richard's death.
This time Wendel digs Richard out and the two hide. They steal beer and rhyme bad poems together while drunk. The reality, however, is different. For his friend remains dead. Wendel climbs into Richard's foxhole, pulls the earthy blanket up to his chest, and waits for the booming airmen.