Wilder Urlaub (1943)

World War II. Machine gunner Hermelinger rents a room in Zurich’s old town from the Ruttishuser family. He is on the run because he struck Sergeant Epper, a superior officer with whom he had been in conflict. While trying to steal civilian clothes from the adjoining room, he is caught by its tenant, Fritz Hablützel, a student. Hablützel is an officer and has a weapon that Hermelinger seizes. When the weapon goes off, Hermelinger stops resisting and confesses. He tells how former comrades Hermelinger and Epper enlisted: Epper, the son of a respectable family, meets Hermelinger, a laborer. During military service, Epper attains a higher rank and torments Hermelinger. Emil Ruttishuser asks Hermelinger to call a doctor: his daughter Lorli is seriously ill, and her father fears the worst. This is the perfect opportunity for Hermelinger to escape, but he does not take it. He goes to a restaurant; at closing time, he invites the waitress back to his place. But Hermelinger gets frightened, and the waitress leaves. Hermelinger runs through Zurich at night, eluding the police enforcing the curfew. At the Ruttishuser home, he finds Hablützel preparing to rejoin his unit. Hablützel confesses to Hermelinger that he lies to everyone because he no longer wants to study. The next morning, Lorli Ruttishuser gradually recovers. Hermelinger takes the train to Marseille, but gets off at Dietikon to face military justice. He learns that Sergeant Epper is only injured. Impressed by Hermelinger, Epper wants to restore the camaraderie between them.