1942. The members of the Voß family, mother, two daughters, a daughter-in-law, and a son-in-law, are living in a house at the river. A fellow soldier of son Paul, who fights at the eastern front, delivers his greetings and an embroidered Russian blouse for Emmi, Paul′s wife. Daughter Agnes, whose husband is also fighting in the war, receives a fur vest from the junior partner who is stalking her. Obviously, the vest is also loot from the eastern front. When the family receives news that Emmi′s husband has been killed in action, the war finally enters the house at the river. Emmi commits suicide while Agnes′s husband returns as a cripple from the war front. At home, he has to learn what a price his wife had to pay for the "Russian fur".

Deutschland im Kriegswinter 1941/42. Im einsamen Haus am Fluss lebt Mutter Voß mit ihren Töchtern und Schwiegertochter Emmi. Zur ihr gehört Sohn Paul, doch der ist an der Front. Noch glaubt man daheim an ein schnelles Ende des Russland-Feldzuges, doch die Normalität, an die sich alle klammern, erweist sich als trügerisch. Als Paul fällt, stürzt dies die Familie ins Chaos...