Professor Hans Mamlock is the distinguished chief of surgery in a university hospital. The year is 1933 and although the Professor is Jewish he remains unconcerned with politics and the growing Nazi threat. Mamlock identifies strongly as a German and he believes his culture to be simply incapable of the common barbarism associated with the Nazi party. Accordingly he shows little understanding for people with strong or unpopular political views such as Walter a patient and Rolf his own son. Indeed when Rolf joins the communists in resisting the Nazis Mamlock throws him out of his house. As the persecution of Jews intensifies during the 1930s Mamlock's own daughter is targeted for anti-Semitic attacks at her school...