World War II, Serbia 1941. When a Wehrmacht soldier gets killed due to the incautiousness of lieutenant Michael Berg, his superior, Major König, gives him an ultimatum: if the young lieutenant doesn't manage to persuade the prisoner Petar to betray his comrades, the Major will apply the infamous "100 for 1" act - a law which states that for every German soldier killed, one hundred civilians have to be executed. The story is based on true events.