One Step To Freedom

He unlocked the door to freedom. He defied his superiors for the sake of humanity.

1938. Austria has been annexed by Nazi Germany, and Switzerland has closed its borders for Jewish refugees – a death sentence for thousands. But not all Swiss officials observe this inhuman order: the St. Gallen Police Commander Paul Grüninger puts not only his career, but also his life on the line by disregarding orders and allowing all Jews to enter the country, most of them under the cover of night and in danger of being shot by Austrian border guards.This suspenseful biopic relates the tense war of wits fought between Paul Grüninger and his colleagues and superiors in the police force of officially neutral Switzerland. Rightfully hailed as the Swiss Oskar Schindler, Grüninger was responsible for letting 3,600 Jews enter the country – and was sentenced to a prison term for falsifying documents and abuse of office.