When the Nazis retreated from postwar Poland, the Soviets only spread the existing terror as Stalinism entrenched itself. The Piekarz family has survived the crushing weight of persecution, and Piotr Piekarz is now a leader among the Solidarity movement in Gdansk, helping to lead the fight against the government during martial law. Wanted by the secret police, he is finally arrested and thrown into prison.
Piotr's nephew Tomasz, drawn by the promise of Western materialism, runs away to Berlin and ends up living in desperate conditions on the streets. His return to Poland and involvement in a riot against the communists leads to a dramatic confrontation with his grandfather, the American spy, Jacek. Finally, Jacek must come to terms with the legion of ghosts that haunt his past and torment his life.
Can a man who has betrayed himself with good intentions find redemption through coming to understand what is truly important? Will a family's heritage of enduring faith and love be enough to heal the scars they did not mean to inflict on their children, along with the scars of a repressive government?
