In the winter, post World War I, an older German couple sits in the warmth of their home as snow falls outside. Rudolf and Katharina Schulte, sit in front of a fireplace and begin to go through their family memory book. Inside the book are many journal entries by members of the Schulte family of the past. Katharina asks her husband if he's added his journal entry yet and Rudolf explains that he hasn't because he doesn't know what to write. She encourages him to just write a few simple words, but Rudolf stands up and begins to walk outside in search for their nephew. Rudolf tells his wife that their nephew, Heinrich, has never seen their family memory book and that Rudolf wants to show it to him. Katharina warns her husband of the cold temperatures outside and Rudolf heads out. Rudolf walks to the stable and calls for his nephew, who is conflicted about telling his uncle he is leaving soon for the holidays. Rudolf asks Heinrich to accompany him to the forest in order to cut down the pines for firewood. The two men are the same height and are often mistaken as father and son. As they walk through the snow, Rudolf begins to tell Heinrich of the different tasks of their home--caring for the trees and soil, proper tending to the bushes, and other vegetation. Rudolf advises Heinrich to care for the trees for forty years and Heinrich remarks that he will be an old man by then. Rudolf then talks about the cold temperatures outside and Heinrich explains that the weather is not as cold as it was in the war in Russia. As Rudolf gives advice about finding the best trees, Heinrich debates on whether or not to tell his uncle about his departure in a few days. Heinrich explains that he is excited to not spend the holidays in the trenches--where he spent the last four years of his life. Rudolf mentions that, while the war's ending was bad, he prefers an end to a continuation of a rigorous war. Though Rudolf explains they have not found a good tree yet, Rudolf asks if Heinrich will be spending his holidays back home with his family. Heinrich does not respond, but instead thinks about how someday his uncle will pass the responsibility of tending to the land to the future generations. Rudolf returns inside to his wife and they discuss the weather as well as Heinrich's request to go home for the holidays. His wife asks if Heinrich will be gone for Christmas and New Years. Heinrich enters the home and explains that he will return before New Years Day. Late on Christmas night, Rudolf and his wife get out their family memory book once more. Rudolf reads each page, reminiscing over the memories that his family recorded. As he sits, Katharina brings pictures of their sons and family to add to the book. Rudolf begins to write his journal entry about each member of his family in German and Latin. His wife asks for his progress on the memory book and Rudolf adds his own journal entry describing how he is the last of the Schulte lineage and hopes his farm will continue with Heinrich.