Vladimir Barsky

In the midst of the Russian Revolution of 1905, the crew of the battleship Potemkin revolt against the brutal, tyrannical regime of the vessel's officers. The resulting street demonstration in Odessa brings on a police massacre.

A poor but honest fisherman Pepo opposes a cunning trader Zimzimov, who tries to rob him by trickery refusing to pay a lost bill. Pepo choses prison to paying-off his honour.

Kulak Walter's successor, Robert, calls his fellow villagers to form a collective farm. The poor peasantry of the village actively supports his call. The first collective farm of German colonists "Rote Fane" (Red Flag) is created. Local kulaks begin to fight against him. Under the influence of the kulaks' agitation, part of the middle-class colonists went to Germany. The collective farm grows and becomes stronger, and the kulaks weaken. Walter bribes his watchman, old Shakir, and incites him to kill Robert. But Shakir can't beat Robert. He exposes Walter's nefarious intentions and joins the collective farm. A letter comes from the departed colonists, reporting that there is an economic crisis and unemployment in Germany, and expressing regret for following the provocation and leaving the Soviet Union.

Yunker Olenin, a representative of St. Petersburg's "golden youth," travels to the Caucasus in search of romance. His regiment is stationed in a Cossack village. There he falls in love with the beautiful Marina and even decides to marry her, not yet knowing that she loves the Cossack Lukashka and would never trade him for a lord.

Ershi's sister, Marussia, a sailor of the Black Sea Squadron, was seduced by Baron von Vogel. Coincidentally, he is assigned to the same ship where he serves the nation. The situation on the ship is tense. The arbitrariness of the officers causes discontent among the sailors. Only the ship's mechanic, Menshevik Avalov, weakly defends the interests of the sailors.

War and love in Caucasus.

Young Makvalla, who loves the cowman Onise, is married off to the unloved есаul Gela Goderdzishvili, who has become rich in the service of the bailiff. Onise decides to run away with Makvalla, and during a fight at Gela's house, he is seriously injured. Makvalla disappears from Gela's house. The fugitive is saved from death and taken in by the hermit shepherd Onfrey.