February 1944, a military academy in southern Germany "fabricates" new officers. The educators are a modly crew of Officers with front-experience, without frontexperience, nazi-fanatics and opportunists. The general in charge of the academy is one of the frontexperienced officers, who is using reason and is focused on the task. Not paying too much attention on backdoor politics until a young Lieutenantlooses his live in a blasting "accident". The General does not believe in an accident and entrust's another frontexperienced officer with the investigation of the incident. The truth will be a dangerous truth, and the abyss for honest officers. There is an amazingly wide range of characters pitted against each other, that you will find in simular institutions today. A lot of backstabbing, betrayal and the absence of compassion. Painful in it's conclusion and truthfulness, this movie will probably have a difficult time to reach a larger audience. The universal message of yesterday still holds truth today. Indeed a very underrated movie, and a rare gem.