The film traces three generations of the Fähmel family in Cologne, exploring how Germany's violent history-from World War I through Nazism to the postwar period-shapes ordinary lives. Patriarch Heinrich builds an abbey that becomes a symbol of authority; his son Robert resists fascism, suffering personal loss, while his mother Johanna is punished for dissent. The story moves non linearly through time, showing how moral compromises, obedience, and trauma persist across generations. Ultimately, the film argues that neither the family nor Germany has truly confronted or reconciled with its past, leaving violence and complicity unresolved.