Summary: A Time to Love and a Time to Die

Ernst Graeber and his fellow soldiers are order to kill Russian civilians in World War 1 and, rather than do so, his friend commits suicide. Ernst receives  three weeks leave after a long two year stretch at the Russian front lines. Leaves are often canceled, however, so he decides not to write his parents and get their hopes up just in case. When he returns home he finds that his house has been bombed and no knows the whereabouts of his parents. Dismayed and confused, Ernst reaches out to a childhood friend, Elizabeth, who has also experienced great loss from the war as her father is being held prisoner by the Gestapo. Despite both of their grim circumstances, the quickly fall in love. An old friend of Ernst is now a very rich Nazi and he invites them to come stay with them and help with their wedding. On the day of there wedding there is an air raid and their friend Binding dies. The next day Ernst receives a letter from his parents and he and Elizabeth spend the rest of his leave safe in an inn. When he returns to the front he and his soldiers are, yet again, ordered to kill Russian civilians and Ernst kills his friend that tries and frees the civilians.