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1943. The German army is retreating with heavy fighting on the Eastern Front. Captain Stransky, transferred from France, arrives to replace the dead battalion commander. This elegant Prussian aristocrat has never been in a real battle and dreams of receiving the German combat order - the Iron Cross - at any cost.
To achieve his goal, Stransky needs to win the respect of the platoon commander Corporal Steiner, a battle-hardened veteran who enjoys great authority among his comrades in arms. Steiner, a "universal soldier," despises officers who crave glory but prefer not to go to the front lines....