In 1980s Germany at the height of the Cold War, 19-year-old Hagbard (Karl Koch) (August Diehl) finds the world around him threatening and chaotic. Inspired by the fictitious character Hagbard Celine (from Robert Anton Wilson and Robert Shea's ''Illuminatus! Trilogy''), he starts investigating the backgrounds of political and economic power and discovers signs that make him believe in a worldwide Conspiracy theory.