1833 год. Белгия. Набиране на войници за армията.

Синът на беден селянин Йон Брамс отива на военна служба вместо син на богат гражданин...

V roce 1833 se farmář nechá za tučnou odměnu naverbovat do armády místo syna jednoho boháče. Svého rozhodnutí ale může brzy litovat.

1833, ergens in de Vlaamse Kempen. De dienstplicht was toen nog niet algemeen en de rekrutering gebeurt door loting, een maatregel die bij de bevolking niet geliefd is. Jan, één van de velen die hetzelfde lot wacht, heeft echter geluk en loot zich vrij. Maar voor een fikse som geld laat hij zich er toe verleiden om de plaats van een rijke jongeling in te nemen. Al snel betreurt hij zijn beslissing. Zijn geld wordt gestolen en hij maakt kennis met een boel mensonwaardige toestanden.

In 1833, when the fledgling Belgian kingdom still fears a Dutch invasion, recruits were selected annually from an age cohort by a draw of lots in each locality. In this grim, then contemporary drama by the 'father of Flemish literature', Hendrik Conscience, Jan Braems, a poor and naive farmers-boy, accepts the not uncommon offer by a rich family to sell his lucky ticket (out) to their son for a hefty sum compared to the miserable labor wages at the time. Army life is even harsher then a farmhand's, especially for a Dutch-speaking an-alphabet who simply can't understand his francophone superiors, and Jan's nature is not complacent enough for military discipline even by todays standards, so he soon gets into all kinds of trouble, including gambling his capital away and a venereal disease. When his girlfriend back home goes looking for him, her life is doomed as well.

En 1833, un fermier décide de rejoindre l'armée à la place du fils d'un homme fortuné. Une décision qu'il risque fort de regretter.

În 1833, un fermier alege să intre în armată în locul fiului unui bogătaș, în schimbul unei sume mari de bani. Însă ar putea ajunge să regrete decizia.