The poem begins with a prologue, which on behalf of the author gives a brief description of Germany during the Thirty Years War (1618-1648), describes the main character - the generalissimo of the imperial troops Wallenstein, and also accurately indicates the time of what is happening - 1634.

The play "Wallenstein Camp" takes place near one of the largest cities in Bohemia, Pilsen. Here the troops of the emperor were led by the Duke of Friedland. There is no plot in this part of the trilogy; these are scenes from the lives of ordinary soldiers. Here is a marketer with her son, who has long been wandering with the army. Here are hired soldiers from different places, they have already changed their owners more than once in search of a more reliable income. They are always happy to exchange the stolen goods, lose it to cards, drink a glass of wine for their lucky Duke of Friedland. Among them is Capuchin, who is trying to guide the soldiers on the path of a righteous life. Peasants from nearby war-ravaged villages are also wandering into the camp with the goal of making money here. One of them, who played fake dice, was caught by soldiers, but then released.

There is a rumor in the camp that the emperor is going to send most of the army to the Netherlands, but the soldiers do not want to obey the emperor’s order, Wallenstein is their “father,” he combined many different regiments into a single army, he pays them a salary from his own pocket, their desire - is to stay with him. The soldiers decide that each regiment wrote a report asking them to stay with their general, and Max Piccolomini, commander of the cuirassier regiment, let them hand them over to the emperor. In the second part of the trilogy, the scene is transferred to Pilsen. The town hall gathers the commanders of thirty regiments standing at the walls of Pilsen. Here is the Minister of the Emperor von Questenberg with the orders of the monarch. According to rumors, he was sent to remove Wallenstein. In conversations between themselves, the commanders of the regiments Illlo, Butler, Izolani support the Duke of Friedland. Von Questenberg talks with the friend of the Duke, Octavio Piccolomini, who in his heart is on the emperor’s side, he does not like Wallenstein’s desire for independence.

The wife and daughter of the Duke of Friedland arrive at the town hall, who was accompanied by Max Piccolomini on the road from Austria. Wallenstein talks with his wife; he is primarily interested in their visit to Vienna. The duchess bitterly informs her husband that the attitude at the court towards them has changed, everything has grown from grace and trust into “ceremonial etiquette”. From the letters received from Vienna, the Generalissimo learns that he found a successor, the son of the emperor, young Ferdinand. Wallenstein needs to decide on his next steps, but he is slow.

Regiment commanders gather in the castle of the duke. Minister Questenberg gives them the emperor’s order to clear Bohemia from the troops and send them to be freed from Regensburg Lutherans. Eight regiments will go to Milan to accompany the cardinal infante on the way to the Netherlands. Most commanders oppose the order. Wallenstein’s brother-in-law, Count Tercki, and Field Marshal Illo are developing a plan for them to finally lure the regiments to the side of the duke and force them to disobey the order of the emperor. They compose an oath of allegiance to Wallenstein, which regiment commanders will have to sign.

Countess Terzky, the sister of the duke, dedicated to the heart affairs of her niece Thekla, is trying to convince her that, as the daughter of a worthy parent, she must obey the will of her father, who will choose her groom herself. Thekla, on the other hand, loves Max Piccolomini and is confident that she can defend her feelings in her father’s eyes, Countess Terzka has a different mind, she hopes that Max’s love for Wallenstein’s daughter will tie his father’s hands, and Octavio will remain on the side of the duke.

There is a feast in the house of Terzky, to which all regiment commanders are invited. In the end, when enough wine has already been drunk, Illlo and the count ask the commanders to sign an oath of allegiance to Wallenstein, in which there is supposedly nothing contrary to their oath to the emperor. Everyone signs, and even Octavio, only Max Piccolomini, on the pretext that he always does everything with a fresh mind, evades.

At home, a frank conversation takes place between father and son Piccolomini, in which Octavio reports that the Duke of Friedland is going to take the troops from the emperor and transfer them to the enemy - the Swedes. To do this, at a party at Tertsky they were forced to sign an oath, that is, to swear allegiance to Wallenstein. Max does not believe that this is the idea of ​​the duke himself, most likely this is the intrigue of his entourage. At this time, a courier arrives from the commander of the regiment of Gales, who refused to arrive with his soldiers in Pilsen. He reports that the people of Galles captured the duke's messenger with his letters to the Swedes. They are stamped with the arms of Terzky, and now they are on their way to Vienna. Octavio shows his son an imperial decree according to which, in the case of irrefutable evidence of Wallenstein’s betrayal, he must for a short time lead the duke’s troops before Ferdinand arrives. It’s difficult for Max Piccolomini to understand these “intricacies”; he rushes into the castle to the duke to ask him the truth. His last words: "And before it reaches the end day, I will lose my friend — or father."

The last part of the dramatic poem begins in Pilsen. The astrologer predicted to Wallenstein from the state of the planets that a favorable moment had come for him. Count Terzky arrives, letters to the Swedes are intercepted, which means that their plan is known to the enemy. Now we must act, but the Duke of Friedland is still lingering.

Colonel Wrangel from the Swedes arrived at Wallenstein. He has a letter from the chancellor, in which he offers the duke a Bohemian crown in exchange for the two fortresses of Egru and Prague. The premonition did not deceive Wallenstein, the Swedes do not trust him. The duke is trying to explain to Wrangel that the surrender of Prague would mean for him the loss of support in the army, because it is the capital of Bohemia. A cunning Swedish colonel, already aware of the fate of Wallenstein’s envoy to the Swedes, understands that the duke is cornered, he has no way back to the emperor’s camp, so he is ready to abandon the plan to get Prague. Everyone is waiting for the final decision of the Generalissimo.

Still trusting Octavio Piccolomini, Wallenstein sends him to Frauenberg, where the Spanish regiments have changed him. Having stood at the head of them, Octavio will have to stand still and maintain neutrality. But just in case, he leaves his son Piccolomini in Pilsen.

At the headquarters of the duke appears a young Piccolomini, who sees the Swedish colonel and understands that his father was right. He rushes to the duke to convince him not to mess with the Swedes, otherwise his name is “traitor”. Wallenstein is trying to make excuses, but the young hero is adamant, his oath cannot be changed.

In the meantime, Octavio is on the road, but before using an imperial decree, he is trying to convince certain regiment commanders standing at Pilsen to leave with him. He lures Izolani and Butler. Butler decides to even take on the role of a scout in an enemy camp and stay with the duke in order to fully fulfill his duty to the emperor. Returns home after meeting with Wallenstein Max. He is clearly not in himself, all his hopes collapsed, but he refuses to go with his father either.

Thekla, learning about the betrayal of his father to the emperor, understands that her happiness with Max is impossible. In addition, Countess Terzki informed Wallenstein about her daughter's love for the young Piccolomini, and he sharply negatively reacted to the choice of Thekla. He wishes the daughter of a "crowned" husband.

Count Terzky and Illlo enter, Octavio withdrew part of the troops from Pilsen, in addition, a messenger returned from Prague, the guard grabbed him and took away the letter addressed to the Generalissimo. Many cities of Bohemia, including the capital, swore allegiance to the emperor. Wallenstein is losing allies. Ten pappenheim cuirassiers are requested in the duke's apartments. They want to hear from him personally the answer to the accusation of treason to the emperor. Wallenstein explains that in the name of peace in Germany, he made a temporary alliance with the Swedes that he hates, but he will soon drive them away. At this time, Butler reports that the regiment of Count Terzky on his banner instead of the emperor’s coat of arms put up the coat of arms of the Duke of Friedland. The cuirassiers hastily leave. A riot begins in the Pappenheim regiment, they demand from Wallenstein to give them to their commander Max Piccolomini, whom, according to their information, the duke forces him in the castle.

Max really is in the castle of the duke, he came to Thekla to hear from her whether she would accept his love if he changed his duty and the emperor. Wallenstein's daughter urges him to remain true to himself, even if fate wants to separate them.

The Pappenheimites meanwhile captured two city gates, they refuse to obey Wallenstein’s order to retreat and are already directing the cannons towards the castle. The Duke of Friedland lets Piccolomini go and orders to prepare the regiments loyal to him for the campaign, he goes with them to the fortress of Egru.

In Egre, Wallenstein, with the five loyal regiments remaining to him, is waiting for the Swedes to approach, then, leaving his wife, sister and daughter here, to move on. Butler, by order of the emperor, should capture Wallenstein and prevent him from uniting with the Swedish troops. The commandant of the fortress, on the one hand, was loyal to the emperor, on the other hand, he knew the duke as a young man of twenty, when he and he were pages in the same German court.

A messenger from the Swedes arrives at the fortress. He says that Max Piccolomini with his regiment attacked the Swedish troops in Neustadt, and the superior forces of the Swedes destroyed all the Pappenheim. Max himself, under whom the horse fell from the blow of the spear, was crushed by his own cavalry. The body of Piccolomini will be in the monastery of St. Catherine, until her father arrives there. Thekla, along with her maid of honor and the stalmaster, flees from the fortress at night to say goodbye to the body of her lover.

Realizing that the Swedes are very close and Wallenstein can slip out of his hands, Butler decides to kill the Duke. First, together with his officers, he sets off for Count Terzky’s chambers, where he feasts with Illo, and kills the Count and Field Marshal Illo. The Duke of Friedland is about to go to bed, at which time his astrologer bursts into the room and warns that the stars portend Wallenstein to trouble. The nearby commandant of the fortress supports the astrologer's proposal not to conspire with the Swedes, but the generalissimo goes to rest. Butler appears with the officers, they are sent to the duke's quarters. At this time, the commandant of the fortress sees that the fortress is occupied by the emperor’s troops, he shouts to Butler, but late - Wallenstein is slaughtered.

Octavio appears in the hall, he accuses Butler of killing the duke. Countess Terzky also dies, poisoning herself. A messenger from the emperor arrives in Egru; Octavio is granted the title of prince.