在德皇威廉二世统治时期的科佩尼科小镇，一个名叫福克特的人，为了出国谋生，涂改、偷窃护照入狱。出狱后为了找到工作他不得不挺而走险，冒充上尉并带领士兵包围了市政府，还绑架了市长官员，希望能得到一张护照，结...

'TheCaptainofKöpenick'isatruestorythatcouldonlyhavehappenedinGermany,wheretheauthorityofauniformwasobeyedwithoutquestion.　　In1906,anobscureTilsitercobblernamedWilhelmVoigt(1849-1922)purchasedthesecond-handuniformofaPrussianinfantrycaptain.Wearingthis,hetravelledtotheboroughofKöpenickandorderedatroopofguardsmentoplacethemselvesunderhiscommand.Hethendeclaredthetownhalltobeundermilitarylaw,orderingthearrestofthemayorandtreasurerandconfiscatingallthefundsintheexchequer.(Inthisversionit's4,000deutschemarks,atidysum.)NoneofVoigt'sorderswerequestioned,andhegotawaywiththedosh.Whenhewaseventuallycaught,theGermanpeopleregardedVoigt'simpostureasajollyhoaxthatprickedthepomposityofpettybureaucrats.AlthoughVoigtwasclearlymotivatedbyunlawfulfinancialgain,heemergedfromtheaffairasafolkhero.　　Thisfilmisbasedonastageadaptationoftheoriginalincident;