A few years before the war, a young Soviet intelligence officer, Alexander Belov, turns into a Baltic German, Johann Weiss. He will have to get used to the role of a pure-blooded Aryan, infiltrate the Nazi ranks, climb the career ladder as high as possible and get as much valuable information as possible that can influence the course of the war…In 1967, the novel formed the basis for the eponymous four-part film adaptation by Vladimir Basov starring Stanislav Lyubshin and Oleg Yankovsky. Having won the hearts of the audience, the film fell in love with several generations, as well as the song "Where the Motherland begins" that sounded in it and became famous.