A countess' unrequited love for an army officer leads to disaster.
In 1919 Latvia, a detachment of German Freikorps soldiers is stationed in a country chateau, referred to as Kratovice, not far from Riga, to fight Bolshevik guerrillas in the Latvian War of Independence, one element of the much broader Russian Civil War that followed the Bolshevik Revolution. The soldiers, led by Erich von Lhomond (Matthias Habich), are welcomed with open arms by the mansion's inhabitants, including Countess Sophie von Reval (Margarethe von Trotta), her half-senile Jewish aunt Praskovia (Valeska Gert), and some servants. The chateau, it turns out, is the home of the soldiers' leader, Konrad von Reval (Rüdiger Kirschstein), Sophie's brother. Erich had also been a childhood friend of Konrad and Sophie, and she now finds herself falling in love with him. There are hints through the earlier scenes that Erich is in love with Konrad, but that is not confirmed for some time.
Sophie has contacts with the nearby Bolshevik forces, especially with Jewish tailor Grigori Loew, from whom Sophie borrows some Bolshevik reading materials. Early on, one German war veteran who is now fighting for the Bolsheviks is captured, questioned, and summarily executed by a firing squad. In the meantime, Sophie and her aunt try to keep up appearances, holding dinners and providing entertainment for the officers as best as they can, with their supplies of food and drink dwindling. From time to time, Erich or some of his men go to their headquarters in Riga or elsewhere, sometimes returning with food or treats.
Erich, like others under his command, has joined the Freikorps due to lacking any other prospects or purpose in life following Germany's defeat in World War I. Although he loosens up at times with Konrad and Sophie, he generally maintains an air of military professionalism and emotional detachment (such as scolding Sophie for smoking). Sophie's own apparent free spirit is belied when the medic tells Erich how she had been raped some time previously by a drunken Lithuanian soldier. She attempts several times to attract and even seduce Erich, but he rebuffs her advances, usually passively but sometimes with anger, as when he publicly slaps Sophie under the mistletoe at Christmas after she provocatively kisses an old friend of Erich's from school. At times, he simply tells her he is not "worthy" of her love, making it unclear if he is reluctant or just incapable of returning her love. One soldier tells Sophie Erich would tolerate her to "have" her brother. In any case, frustrated, she turns to other men in the unit, having sex with them while Erich is aware. She also willingly exposes herself to danger, riding on horseback and opening blackout curtains.
Over time, some of the men with whom Sophie has been intimate die during battles or soon after their return. It is already clear to Erich and others that the uneasy anti-Bolshevik coalition is falling apart. After being informed that no reinforcements are coming and all German troops are expected to withdraw by the New Year, Erich leads an offensive that results in the loss of the only medic. After the incident at Christmas, Erich's childhood friend tells Sophie of Erich's attraction to Konrad. Sophie leaves to join the Bolsheviks.
Konrad is killed in the withdrawal; Sophie doesn't react when later informed by Erich. While ambushing the retreating soldiers, Grigori is killed and Sophie is captured. Erich offers to take Sophie to family in Germany, but she rejects his generous offer by stealing his cigarettes on her way out for her fellow condemned soldiers. The train to Germany is delayed due to attack so everyone has the rest of the night to steel themselves. In the morning, when Sophie's time to be executed comes, she demands that Erich shoot her. Erich shoots her in the side of the head with his pistol, poses with his men for a group photo, and boards the waiting troop train, all in summary fashion.
