The German custom for every young man to give the best years of his life to the service of his country is the subject of this picture. It begins with affectionate partings between two lovers as the young man departs to join the army. Letters from his sweetheart do not suffice him and he deserts and flees to her side, he is driven back to his duty by the stern father and we are then shown him doing sentry duty and later loading a cavalry charge on the battlefield, where he gets killed. The final scene shows the young man’s sweetheart in agony at the bedside while the stern father points to the flag and is thankful that his son did his duty.