Lugtal, a town nestled between hills, where the citizens feel at home in their half-timbered houses. A dominant figure: Count Brosch, brewery owner and entrepreneur. He is planning a large-scale housing project in the nearby city forest. Some politicians and many committed citizens are opposed to this, striving instead for the renovation of the old town. Against this backdrop, the story of two contrasting brothers unfolds—the conformist Fridolin and the rebellious Max Fantl.
