The distinguished Professor Winfried Menzel of Berlin has rediscovered a forgotten poet from the Mark, Max von Schwedenow. He meets a teacher from the country called Poetsch on a trip. He must later concede that Poetsch is closing in on Schwedenow's trail, and knows even more about him than Menzel does. He begs Poetsch to collaborate with him in Berlin, putting him in the position of assistant. Poetsch is delighted. In his research, he discovers evidence that puts Menzel's revolutionary portrait of Schwedenow into question. He had discovered that in his youth, Schwedenow had worked for the Prussian government as a reactionary censor - under different names. Menzel wants Poetsch to ignore this, so as to not jeopardize his own work. As Poetsch persists with this evidence, Menzel uses his position to bring him down. Poetsch, however, still hopes for the last word in the matter.