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Herzog’s first feature was shot on the islands of Kos – where his grandfather had worked as an archeologist – and Crete. It received the Silver Bear for Best First Feature at the 1968 Berlinale and impressed many, including Lotte Eisner, who saw it as a true creative departure. The plot is set at the end of the Second World War; the soldier Stroszek is recovering from an injury and is supposed to guard a munitions dump in an old fortress together with two of his comrades. He marries one of the village residents and attempts to escape the paralyzing inactivity of his work by taking on other tasks. When out exploring, the sight of hundreds of spinning windmills knocks him sideways. Full of confusion, he takes over command of the fortress and even threatens to set the sun on fire.