Het Gezin van Paemel plot
Father Van Paemel is a farmer on the farm of Baron de Wilde. During a fashionable hunt on the baron's estate, the mild-mannered Désiré Van Paemel is hurt so badly that he remains an invalid. Eduard, the eldest son, takes an active part in the strikes in the city and is a member of the socialist workers' movement. Against the wishes of farmer Van Paemel, the eldest daughter, Cordule, has an affair with the freebooter-poacher Masco and the youngest daughter, Romanie, is forced to work as a maid at the castle. There she is seduced by Maurice, the baron's son. When Kamiel also leaves the farm because he is called to arms, things get worse on the farm due to a lack of sufficient workers.