During a New Year's Eve ball, Prussian cavalry officer Jost von Fredersdorff falls in love with Lili, the lover of his superior. When they decide to get married, their plans are opposed by Jost's family and his superiors in the army and he is denied permission to wed Lili. When Jost insists on going through with the marriage and is even willing to leave the army, he is ordered to the capital where he is locked up. Lili sees that they cannot be together and leaves Jost so that he can remain an honorable soldier in the service of his king.