This film traces the journey of a Jewish family in Hungary spanning three generations. They start from modest origins and gradually ascend to positions of influence and affluence within the declining Austro-Hungarian Empire. The family's patriarch, initially a humble figure, rises to become a prominent judge but grapples with a moral dilemma when his government supports anti-Jewish persecutions.
His son takes a different path by converting to Christianity, ultimately becoming a celebrated fencer and Olympic champion. However, he becomes ensnared in the horrors of the Holocaust. Finally, the grandson, having survived a tumultuous era marked by war, revolution, loss, and betrayal, comes to a realization: his true allegiance must be to himself and his heritage.
