A clash of a romantic vision of fighting for freedom and independence with the brutal reality of the first days of war, experienced by the adolescents from the "Columbus generation".
A 17-year-old Marek passes his finals in a Warsaw high school in June 1939. He goes on holiday and returns just before the outbreak of World War II. Because of the ongoing preparations for warfare he cannot start his studies. Marek’s father, an officer of the reserve, is drafted into the army. For safety reasons, Marek takes his 10-year-old sister to family members living close to Warsaw. Within a few hours after the outbreak of the war Marek becomes an adult man. Polish youth willing to defend the country they love take an oath resembling the oath from the times of the Insurrection in 1831 in front of the monument of the king Jan Sobieski. The chief commander of the Warsaw’s defense calls on everybody to leave the capital city and join the war units that are being formed. Marek together with his schoolmates and thousands of other inhabitants of Warsaw leave Warsaw in search of Polish soldiers who are to wait for them with weapons and uniforms. While looking for the Polish army Marek is arrested by the police and taken to the police station to submit explanations, where he meets Elżbieta, a friend from school in Warsaw who left the city to find her mother. The film starts with scenes from 7th September. Later the action shows Marek’s memories from the seven days of war. We see the adventures of the young character whose main goal is to protect Elżbieta.
