
The film tells the tragic fate of railroad guard Thiel at the end of the 19th century. Thiel, who spends his days in the dull, monotonous fulfillment of his duties, has lost his gentle, quiet wife Minna. He remarries out of concern for his young son Tobias. His second wife Lene, with whom he also has a child, is superior to him in vitality and has a rough passion. He discovers that his child from his first marriage is being discriminated against and tormented by her - Thiel withdraws more and more into himself and becomes lonely. When Tobias is killed in an accident, he blames Lene, and disaster is inevitable...
Cast

Martin Trettau
Bahnwärter Thiel

Walfriede Schmitt
Lene

Blanche Kommerell
Minna

Rolf Hoppe
Pfarrer

Willi Schrade
Zugführer

Walter Lendrich
Bahnwärter
Walter Niklaus
Narrator (voice)
Joachim Pape
Unknown
Andreas Albert
Unknown

Gerd Staiger
Unknown
Roland Kuchenbuch
Unknown
Roman-Eckhard Galonska
Unknown
Willi Neuenhahn
Unknown
Horst Papke
Unknown
Werner Pfeifer
Unknown
Crew
Hans-Joachim Kasprzik
Director, Screenplay
Klaus Jörn
Screenplay
Gerhart Hauptmann
Short Story
Ursula Rudzki
Editor
Horst Hardt
Director of Photography
Gerhard Helwig
Production Design
Ruth Kiecker
Assistant Costume Designer
Hans Linke
Costume Design
Klaus Becker
Makeup Artist
Waltraud Becker
Makeup Artist
Christfried Sobczyk
Sound Mixer
Hans-Joachim Kreinbrink
Sound
Karl-Ernst Sasse
Music
Herbert Gebuhr
Props
Klaus-Dieter Pohle
Property Master
Heinz Walter
Production Manager