Horst Klaus

An alpine village shortly before the First World War. Widowed forester Rufman has little sympathy for his sons Friedel and Elias. Both find it difficult to cope with themselves. One day, a stranger appears whose curiosity confuses the suspicious villagers. Only Elias feels attracted to him. When a murder takes place in the village, suspicion soon falls on the forester's boys.

Styria in the second half of the 18th century: It's Christmas in the forest home of the poet Peter Rosegger. During Advent, Peter, a young forest farmer, first recites his dialect stories to an elegant crowd at the Reininghaus family home, becoming a major attraction in Graz. Hans, the hostess's nephew, befriends the young man, and a close relationship of trust develops, from which each benefits in his own way. During a winter sleigh ride, Peter recounts to his friend Hans the best Christmas experiences from his childhood. He recounts how he got lost in the forest, how he went to collect Christmas cheer, and his adventures with a quaint man named Bremer Sepp.