A collective portrait of Polish soldiers, the film consists of episodes in the lives of individuals on the battle trail of the 1st Tadeusz Kościuszko Infantry Division. Based on a short story by Józef Hen.
Two Poles escape a Soviet labour camp to join the Polish army which is currently being formed by the Oka River. They take part in the Battle of Lenino, make it to Poland, and fight to establish an outpost by the Vistula River. It turns out that a soldier from their unit is missing. No one knows what happened to him. His memory is commemorated with a minute of silence.
