“You’re born a serf, you die a serf and you spend your whole life as a serf.” – This is the hard lot the family of poor peasant boy Trenk, as well as many of the other villagers have to bear. They suffer under the rule of the merciless knight and feudal lord Wertolt who collects almost all their yields. When Trenk’s father Haug cannot pay the required charges Wertolt throws him into the dungeon without much ado.