Krebs has been a soldier in the World War I, but he returns to home, when the greeting of heroes is over. People don't want to listen about war and atrocity stories, but Krebs has the need to talk about it. He realises, that he has to lie to be listened, but after that he has a reaction against the war.
His life is boring. He does nothing. He is sleeping late, walks to the library , eats lunch, reads a book and he often plays pool. For his two young sisters he is still hero. He likes to look at the young girls, who have grown up. But he hasn't energy and enthusiasm to find some girl and propose her. They are so complicated for him and he doesn't want any consequences. He really wants some girl, but he dosn't want to talk with her. He wants to live a simple life, but it is not a real life.
His parents want to help him to find a girl and a job. Father is willing for him to take a car in the evenings. Before war he had been not to allowed to take a car. Now, a lot of boys of his age are married and have a good job. But he doesn't want it. He wants a life without any complications. He wants to go over to the schoolyard. He wants to be a child. He is sexually and "spiritually" impotent. He has no hope, no ambition. He is no able to live a real life. .