“The hearse driver gave me a letter; it’s a last farewell to his wife and his two children. He’d shown me the photograph of his children. The man is pale and looks stricken. It’s certain that he’s thinks he going to die. I try to comfort him and will stay beside him for as long as possible during the fighting. He says to me: “I know without a doubt that I’ll be staying here today. You’ve got my goodbye letter to my home; bring it to my wife”.”

Injured for the first time in the early days of the war, Johannes Krafft has time to contemplate the turmoil of his world and the irresistible pull of comradeship in adversity, the unquenchable, intense longing for lost love and intimacy in the face of death.

Once recovered, Johannes returns to the front. The slaughter of friends, comrades and the enemy can begin for him once more.

But finally, having seen his friends cut down during an attack, a dum-dum bullet leaves him with the choice: keep your legs or stay alive.