Domestic tragedy about the fatal results of unbending honour and stubbornness.
For forty years, Ulrich has been the forester of an estate that has just changed hands and now belongs to his old friend Stein, whose son Robert is betrothed to Ulrich's daughter Marie. Ulrich becomes involved in an argument with Stein when he refuses to follow orders to thin some trees. Stein threatens to dismiss Ulrich, who believes that he cannot be legally removed from his job since both his father and his grandfather had been there before him. He feels he possesses a hereditary right. This initiates a series of unfortunate incidents between their respective families. Through false information, Ulrich hears that his son Andres has been shot by Stein's son Robert, and in a passion of revenge he goes after Robert to kill him. In his blind rage he mistakenly shoots his own daughter Marie, who throws her body across her betrothed Robert in order to save him. When Ulrich realises his horrible error, he kills himself.