1887. Piłsudski is arrested in St. Petersburg for his alleged participation in the preparations for the assassination attempt on Tsar Alexander III and sentenced to 5 years of exile. He is then only 19 years old. After returning to Vilnius in 1892, Józef wants to study law, but must abandon these plans. Soon he joins the Polish Socialist Party. He meets his future wife, Maria. Unfortunately, in 1900 Piłsudski was arrested again.
1890. Piłsudski is imprisoned in the Citadel. He faces the death penalty, so he pretends to be mentally ill and ends up in a hospital in St. Petersburg. With the help of doctors, he manages to escape. He places his family in the territory of the Austrian partition, and he himself works in the Russian partition.
The next episode of the series, which is a chronicle of Piłsudski's life, covers the years 1913 - 17. In Podhale, Piłsudski organizes field exercises of the shooting association. Expecting a conflict between the partitioning powers, he wants to build Polish armed forces.
Piłsudski in prison in Magdeburg. He writes memoirs from the legionary fights in 1914. Sosnkowski is his companion of misery. Here he learns that Aleksandra Szczerbińska gave birth to their daughter. In November 1918 he is released from prison.
Lenin wants Poland to make peace, but Piłsudski does not believe in the good intentions of the Bolshevik leader. He fears that after the USSR strengthens, it will attack Poland. He engages in talks with Ataman Petlura on joint struggle for the eastern territories and freedom of Ukraine.
The Polish-Bolshevik war is on. On August 13, 1920 Piłsudski arrives in Puławy on the front line. He learns that the plans for an offensive that would decide the fate of the war fell into the hands of the Russians. Deciphering them may lead to the breakdown of the Polish army.
Piłsudski's candidacy for the post of president is put forward. The marshal refuses. In this situation, on December 9, 1922, Gabriel Narutowicz became the first president of the Republic of Poland. Democratic choice, but it touches part of the public.
Piłsudski succeeds in the presidential election. However, it does not accept this function. There is a growing political struggle in the country. The center-left is preparing for strikes and, as a last resort, may also use force. Piłsudski closely follows all the events.