In post-war Germany during the late 1950s, idealistic young public prosecutor Johann Radmann discovers that prominent institutions and government officials are deliberately concealing Nazi war crimes. He meets a journalist named Thomas Gnielka, who provides him with evidence suggesting that former Nazis are living freely and unrepentantly. Frustrated by the inertia and denial surrounding the subject, Radmann embarks on an arduous legal crusade to bring these war criminals to justice. He faces numerous challenges, including resistance from his own colleagues, the bureaucracy, and a society that prefers to forget its recent past.

Determined and unyielding, Radmann digs deeper into the labyrinth of lies that has allowed many Nazis to blend back into ordinary life. His relentless pursuit places great personal and professional strain on him as he becomes consumed by the hunt for truth. The investigation unveils horrifying facts about Auschwitz and the systematic atrocities committed there. As he inches closer to uncovering the full extent of the Holocaust's dark legacy, Radmann realizes the grave implications of confronting a nation still coming to terms with its grotesque history.