Bruno is a 9-year-old boy growing up during the Second World War in Berlin with his family. He lives in a big house with his parents and 12-year-old sister named Gretel and two maid Maria and Lars. His father is a Schutzstaffel officer, after a visit from Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun, his father is promoted to ‘Commandant’, and the whole family move to an area called Out-With.