Der Aufenthalt (Turning Point)

Mark Niebuhr, a German soldier, barely nineteen, is taken prisoner-of-war in Poland at the end of the war. One day he is transferred to prison. He is accused of ha ving taken part in SS-crimes. While lenghthy investigation is started, Mark spends months in prison. After having been in solitary confinement, he is transferred to a cell with Polish criminals, who believe he is an SS-officer and vent all their hatred on him. Through this confrontation, Mark realizes the guilt of his compatriots. After ha ving done outdoor work, Mark is transferred to a cell with German prisoners. They assume he has been brought to their cell as a spy. Mark gradually withdraws from his countrymen as he realizes they would not hesitate to kill him. Months later, the investigation is concluded: Mark is found innocent of being an SS-officer.