Josef

In 1915, Croatian soldiers serving in the Austro-Hungarian Army are sent to Galicia on the Eastern Front to fight the Russian Army and Circassian fighters. The narrative establishes the brutal conditions and the mix of regular troops and irregular bands. A surviving Croat's perspective begins the thread that ties the events together.

A Croatian soldier, having survived the battle, takes the uniform and identification tag from a dead NCO. He assumes the armor and identity of the officer whose tag he bears. This stolen identity will drive later misidentifications and danger.

The Croat and a group of Croatian Home Guard and Hungarian Honvéd deserters are captured by a Gendarmerie unit led by Lieutenant Ali Tiffenbach. They face possible execution as deserters, setting up a critical confrontation. The encounter introduces Tiffenbach as the man who will decide their fate.

Before the firing squad, the Croat is mistaken for Zugsführer Josef, the dead NCO whose tag he carries. An Austrian Colonel chooses to spare the Croat because Josef is famous as a regimental fencing champion. Lieutenant Tiffenbach suspects there is an impostor despite the Colonel's decision.

Tiffenbach later confirms his suspicions when he easily defeats 'Josef' in a sword duel. The duel exposes that the Croat is not the real Josef, intensifying the tension. The soldiers realize the danger of mistaken identity in the ranks.

The Circassian irregulars, led by Captain Seryoza, attack the unit. The Croat hides the severely wounded Tiffenbach in a shack and switches their uniforms, hoping to spare him by appearing as an officer. However, the bandits kill the Croat the moment they see him wearing officer's clothes.

Now wearing Josef's uniform and identification, Tiffenbach is found by a woman named Pelagija who brings him to her cabin in the woods. She tends to his wounds for a few days, providing fragile shelter. The encounter marks a fragile pause in the brutal journey.

Pelagija tends Tiffenbach's wounds for a few days but ultimately betrays him to the Circassians in exchange for a horse. The betrayal pulls him deeper into danger and captivity. Place: Pelagija's cabin and Circassian camp.

Over the next few days, Tiffenbach and two other captured soldiers are tortured and forced to do heavy work in the Circassian camp. The brutality underscores the harsh conditions prisoners endure. Place: Circassian camp.

The Circassians regroup with the regular Russian Army and Tiffenbach is thrown into a prison where he is left to starve. The shifting alliances intensify the danger and the prisoners' fate grows more precarious. Place: Circassian camp and prison.

The Austro-Hungarian Army launches an offensive in the area, defeats the Russians, and captures their positions. This breakthrough changes the front's dynamics and opens new opportunities for the pursuing forces. Place: Front near Galicia; Time: 1915

Before the end of the battle, Captain Seryoza locates Tiffenbach and switches their uniforms, allowing him to pass as part of the Austrians. This exchange blurs lines between captor and captive and foreshadows further twists. Place: Battlefield vicinity; Time: 1915

After the battle, the Austrians execute their prisoners, including a half-conscious Tiffenbach who cannot identify himself. The executions underscore the brutal consequences of war and mistaken identity. Place: Austrian camp or execution site; Time: 1915

Seryoza returns to the Austrians' camp and looks at Josef's tag, noting the name Josip Broz, who would later become Tito. The moment hints at a future historical thread connected to the identity motif. Place: Austrian camp; Time: 1915