Scene I
Paris 1895. Theodor Herzl, a journalist from Vienna, covers the degradation ceremony of Dreyfus, a Jewish-French officer who was found guilty of treason. The crowd calls for a death penalty.
Scene ii
The Herzl family home in Paris. Julie Herzl is frightened by the violent atmosphere in the city. Herzl tries to draft a news report of the Dreyfus affair. Unsuccessful in doing so, he leaves his house, upset, to wander the streets.
Scene iii
Vienna 1881. The young Theodor Herzl has been accepted into "Albia" - a nationalistic student fraternity. He and his friend Paul are the first Jewish members of this fraternity. They both celebrate at a beer-garden with their new friends. Even the scorn of an anti-Semitic waitress does not mar their joy.
Scene iv
The adult Herzl wanders the streets of Pigalle. A pimp persuades him to come into a teenage prostitute's room. Herzl is horrified to confront the passions he denies. He escapes the place, but is unable to return to his home.
Scene v
Vienna Opera House. The students cheer after a performance of a Wagner opera. Young Theodor envisions himself as a celebrated playwright to-be. Paul feels that he, as a Jew, would forever remain an outsider in European culture.
Scene vi
The adult Herzl enters a church. Inspired by the priest's words, and the singing of the choir, he has a revolutionary vision - he would lead all the Jews to a mass conversion into Christianity.
Scene vii
Back at home, Herzl shares his daring plan with his wife. Julie reacts with scorn and dismissal.
Scene viii
While the adult Herzl struggles with Julie's harsh words, young Theodor fights a duel with Paul - an initiation ceremony for the fraternity. Julie wins over, and Herzl succumbs to despair. Theodor defeats Paul and is filled with joy. He feels omnipotent. Herzl predicts a traumatic crash for his younger self.
Scene ix
At a memorial service after Wagner's death, Herman, the fraternity leader, gives an anti-Semitic speech. Theodor furiously wishes to retire from the fraternity. Paul betrays his friend, and proposes that henceforward, Jews will not be accepted into "Albia". Both he and Theodor are disgracefully dismissed. Paul shoots himself.
Scene x
Herzl and Theodor are desperate. In an imaginary duet between them, they look for a way out of their dead-end situation. Herzl almost loses his sanity, when a new vision dawns on him - the establishment of a Jewish state. His friends and acquaintances try in vain to dissuade him from the idea, but Herzl writes his fateful book - "The State of the Jews".
