The Passerby 1982

Berlin childhood amid Nazism

In 1933 Berlin, Max Baumstein witnesses his father being shot by Nazi thugs, an act that scars him physically and emotionally. The brutality leaves him lame for life and fuels his later commitment to human rights and justice. This trauma shapes his character and sets the course for his lifelong fight against oppression.

Guardians take in the traumatised boy

Neighbours Michel and Elsa take in the traumatised boy and provide him with shelter and care as the city darkens. They become a makeshift family, offering support amid the rising danger from the Nazis.

Nazis vandalise Michel's business; Paris bound

When Nazis vandalise Michel's business, he sends Elsa and Max on a train to Paris for safety. He also wires money through a trusting French salesman, Maurice, to help them survive.

Elsa and Max start anew in Paris

In Paris, Elsa and Max begin a new life under the quiet protection of Maurice, who has become a guardian in his own right. Max's memory of Berlin blends with the new uncertainty of life in exile.

Michel jailed; Elsa becomes a hostess

Michel is sentenced to five years in a concentration camp for anti-Nazi activity, leaving Elsa and the boy effectively stranded. Elsa struggles to find work and ends up working as a club hostess to make ends meet.

Von Legaart and the deadly bargain

Elsa meets von Legaart, a diplomat at the German embassy in Paris, who offers to secure Michel's release in exchange for a night with her. The offer casts a shadow over their already perilous situation.

Murder at the railway station

When Elsa meets Michel at the railway station, von Legaart has both of them murdered. The violence marks a turning point and leaves Max with even deeper scars and a desire for justice.

Maurice saves Max in Switzerland

After the killings, Maurice takes Max to safety in Switzerland. From there, Max devotes his life to fighting the evils that led to the deaths of everyone he loved.

The law catches up with von Legaart's true identity

Max's organisation discovers that the Paraguayan ambassador was von Legaart under an assumed name. He resolves that there is only one way to achieve justice, setting the stage for the embassy murder.

The embassy killing in Paris

In a determined act, Max shoots the Paraguayan ambassador dead inside the embassy in Paris. The act is described as cold-blooded but framed by his long quest for accountability.

Arrest and Lina's plea

Max is arrested and charged with murder. He tries to explain to his agonised wife Lina what led him to the act, revealing the depth of his past and his motive.

Suspended sentence and neo-Nazi threats

The court sentences him to five years suspended, allowing him to walk free with Lina. As they begin life together again, they face abuse and threats from neo-Nazis who blame him for the murder.