Part 1: 1914 -1918. War in Europe. Fritz Clausen, a southern Jutland Dane, is sent to the front. The upper class enjoys life in Copenhagen while the gap between rich and poor continues growing.

After the war nothing is as before. Jo Jacobsen has ended his marriage, Marie Nielsen is in prison and Fritz Clausen returns after 2 years in a Russian POW-Camp to a new battle for Denmarks frontiers.

Fritz Clausens finds his new political home in the Danish Nazi party. Jo Jacobsen battles for his personal liberation and Marie Nielsen for a global revolution.

There was hope after WWI - but now despair is growing. The economic crisis is hurting, ideas are radicalising and the next catastophe - WWII - is just around the corner.