Plot
Corporal Rolf Steiner is a veteran soldier of the Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front of World War II. During a raid on an enemy mortar position, his reconnaissance platoon captures a Russian boy soldier. They set off for friendly lines just as Captain Stransky arrives to take command of Steiner's battalion. When the regiment's commander, Colonel Brandt, asks Stransky why he requested transfer to the Kuban bridgehead from more comfortable duties in occupied France, he jokes to Brandt and the regimental adjutant, Captain Kiesel, that he wants to win the Iron Cross.
Stransky meets the patrol's return and orders the prisoner shot. Steiner refuses and the squad hides the boy in their bunker. Stransky promotes Steiner senior sergeant but Steiner is unmoved. Stransky then discerns that his adjutant, Lieutenant Triebig, is a closeted homosexual, a death penalty offence in the German Army.
Steiner's platoon celebrates the birthday of their leader, Lieutenant Meyer. Steiner releases the boy from a forward position just as the expected Russian offensive begins. The boy is killed as they approach. In the pitched battle that follows, Meyer is also killed leading a counter-attack while Stransky is overcome by fear in his bunker. Steiner is wounded and sent to a military hospital.
After his hospital stay, characterised by flashbacks and hallucinations as well as a romantic liaison with a nurse, Steiner refuses home leave to return to his men with Corporal Schnurrbart. Stransky's nomination for an Iron Cross requires Steiner's corroboration, but despite promises of preferential treatment by Stransky, Steiner tells Brandt he hates all officers, even "enlightened" ones like Brandt and Kiesel, and requests time to consider his answer.
When the battalion is ordered to retreat, Stransky doesn't notify Steiner's platoon, who are forced to retreat through enemy-held territory. They capture a detachment of female soldiers. While Steiner plans their next move, Zoll tries to abuse one of the women and is painfully wounded; he kills her in response. Dietz is deceived and killed by one of the prisoners. Steiner locks Zoll up with the vengeful Russian women, leaving them behind but taking their uniforms as disguises.
They approach the front line and radio their positions to avoid friendly fire. Stransky implies to Triebig that if Steiner was killed by mistake, he could be transferred to France. Triebig orders his men to open fire as Steiner cross no man's land killing several including Schnurrbart before the machine gunners realize their mistake. Steiner kills Triebeg, leaving Krüger in command, and sets out to find Stransky whose transfer to France has come through.
The Soviets launch a major assault as the Germans continue their retreat toward the Crimea. Brandt orders Kiesel to evacuate, Brandt then rallies fleeing troops for a counterattack. Steiner locates Stransky, but instead of killing him, he hands him a weapon, and offers to show him "where the Iron Crosses grow". Stransky accepts Steiner's challenge. The film closes with Stransky unable to reload his MP40, while being shot at by an adolescent Russian soldier who resembles the boy soldier released by Steiner. When Stransky asks Steiner for help, Steiner begins to laugh. His laughter continues through the credits, which feature "Hänschen klein" again and segues to black-and-white images of civilian victims from World War II and later conflicts.
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