After World War II, Romania was swiftly integrated into the Soviet empire, but not before journalist George Vlaicu (Johan Leysen) could write and disseminate an article decrying the death of democracy. He spends eleven years in prison, emerging in 1959 after a secret policeman promises him that, if he will write a weekly summary of the events of his life (which need not include anything the policeman doesn't already know), he can go free. He goes on to become a nationally celebrated poet after marrying the woman who typed his postwar protest. Eventually, a number of incidents make him realize that his reports to the police have been used to further the government's persecution of his friends, and he makes plans to defect.