Zwischen Himmel und Erde (1942)

Xanten during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71. Justus Rottwinkel, a master roofer, has two sons: Mathias, the elder, and Lonius, the younger. Justus favors his practical, capable older son and expects him to take over the business one day. Lonius, by contrast, is quiet and introspective by nature. Both young men have their eye on Christine Burger, daughter of Clemens Burger, owner of a slate quarry. When Lonius asks his father for his blessing to marry Christine, Justus refuses because he wants to secure her for Mathias, and instead sends his younger son to Cologne to stay with his cousin. Before leaving Xanten, Lonius asks Mathias to deliver a letter to Christine explaining his sudden departure. But Mathias has no intention of giving her the letter. Instead, he lies to the young woman, telling her that Lonius simply disappeared without a word and left her without a second thought. On the train to Cologne, Lonius meets a young couple who are distraught at having to part. He is told that the man has been called up and is going to the front in the war against France. Lonius offers to stay together in the man’s place, so the couple will not have to part. Instead, he will go to the front in place of the reservist. While Lonius performs acts of heroism at the front, Mathias marries the quietly resigned Christine. After the wedding, however, Aunt Fine Rottwinkel tells Christine that Lonius did not abandon her disgracefully at all. Christine then grows increasingly estranged from Mathias, especially as he shamelessly carouses with prostitutes. Only out of consideration for old Justus is Christine willing to stay in this unhappy marriage. When Justus is temporarily blinded in a botched blasting operation at Burger’s slate quarry, Mathias takes over the business. But his way of life and business incompetence soon bring it to the brink of ruin. Then one day Lonius returns home, highly decorated. He still loves Christine, but respects the fact that she is now the wife of his dissolute brother. Nevertheless, he intends to wrest control of the company from Mathias, since otherwise it will be lost. To make ends meet, Lonius also accepts a poorly paid job: repairing the roof of a school in a neighboring town. The brothers have a fierce argument, and old Justus learns that, since going blind, he has been giving Mathias blank signatures one after another. As Justus Rottwinkel gradually begins to see again, he decides not to tell anyone at first. He now hands the management of the company over to Lonius. So disappointed by recent events, Mathias even begins sabotaging the school-roof repair job. When Lonius falls the next day because of the support rope Mathias has tampered with, Justus immediately realizes that Mathias is responsible. He climbs the church tower, where Mathias is working, and demands that he throw himself down as the consequence of his actions. The injured Lonius arrives with Christine. Mathias now sees no way to arrange things to suit himself and jumps to his death. Christine is now free to be with Lonius, and together with the old man they will rebuild the roofing business.