The first part describes the kidnapping of Schleyer, the first decisions and countermeasures in Bonn, the manhunt for the hijackers and the psychological drama between Schleyer and the RAF terrorists guarding him. It ends with the news of the hijacking of the Lufthansa plane "Landshut", the escalation of the crisis.

The second part tells of the inferno in the hijacked plane, of the negotiations between the Federal Criminal Police Office and the Stammheim prisoners for their alleged release into a foreign country. It ends with the collective suicide in the high-security wing of Stammheim and the shooting of Schleyer, who had hoped that the hijacking of the plane might give his fate another turn.