The drama takes place in Germany in the twenties of the sixteenth century, when the country was fragmented into many independent feudal principalities, which were in constant hostility with each other, nominally all of them were part of the so-called Holy Roman Empire. It was a time of violent peasant unrest, which marked the beginning of the era of the Reformation.

Getz von Berlichingen, a bold independent knight, does not get along with Bishop of Bamberg. In an inn on the road, he ambushed his men and waits for Adelbert Weislingen, the close bishop, and he wants to pay with him for holding his squire in Bamberg. Having captured Adelbert, he goes to his family castle in Yaksthausen, where his wife Elizabeth, sister Maria and little son Karl are waiting for him.

In former times, Weislingen was Getz's best friend. Together they served as pages in the Margrave's court, and together they participated in military campaigns. When Berlichingen lost his right hand in battle, instead of which he now has an iron one, he courted him. But their life paths diverged. Adalberta sucked life with her gossip and intrigue, he took the side of the enemies of Getz, who seek to discredit him in the eyes of the emperor.

In Yaksthausen, Berlichingen is trying to draw Weislingen to his side, suggesting to him that he belittles himself to the level of a vassal with some "wayward and envious priest." Adalbert seems to agree with the noble knight, this is facilitated by his love for the meek, devout sister of Getz Maria. Weislingen is engaged to her, and honestly, that he will not help his enemies, Berlichingen lets him go. Adelbert goes to his estates to restore order in them before introducing a young wife into the house.

At the court of the Bishop of Bamberg, Weislingen is looking forward to returning from the Emperor’s residence in Augsburg for a long time, but his squire Franz brings the news that he is in his estate in Swabia and does not intend to appear in Bamberg. Knowing Weislingen’s indifference to the female gender, the bishop sends Libetraut to him with the news that the newly-widowed beauty Adelheida von Waldorf is waiting for him at the court. Weislingen arrives in Bamberg and falls into the love networks of an insidious and soulless widow. He breaks the word given to Getz, remains in the bishop's residence and marries Adelheid.

His ally, Franz von Sikingen, is visiting the house of Berlichingen. He is in love with Mary and is trying to persuade her, who is hard going through the betrayal of Adelbert, to marry him, in the end, Getz's sister agrees.

A punitive detachment sent by the emperor to capture Getz is approaching Yaksthausen. Augsburg received a complaint from Nuremberg merchants that their people returning from the Frankfurt Fair were robbed by the soldiers of Berlichingen and Hans von Selbits. The emperor decided to call the knight to order. Zikingen offers Getz the help of his raters, but the owner of Jaksthausen believes that it is more reasonable if he remains neutral for a while, then he can redeem him if necessary from the prison.

Soldiers of the emperor attack the castle, Getz with difficulty with his small detachment defends. Hans von Zelbits, who was himself injured during the battle, rescues him. Emperor’s Reuters, having lost a lot of people, go for reinforcements.

During the respite, Getz insists that Sikingen and Maria marry and leave Yaksthausen. As soon as the young couple leaves, Berlichingen orders to close the gates and fill them with stones and logs. The exhausting siege of the castle begins. A small detachment, the lack of stocks of weapons and food force Getz to negotiate with the emperor's Reuters. He sends his man to agree on the conditions for the surrender of the fortress. The parliamentarian brings the news that people are promised freedom if they voluntarily lay down their arms and leave the castle. Getz agrees, but as soon as he leaves the gates with a detachment, he is seized and taken to Gelbron, where he will appear before the imperial advisers.

Despite everything, the noble knight continues to be bold. He refuses to sign a peace treaty with the emperor, proposed to him by advisers, because he believes that he is unfairly called a violator of the laws of the empire. At this time, his son-in-law, Sikingen, approaches Heilbronn, occupies the city and frees Getz. In order to prove to the emperor his honesty and devotion, Berlichingen himself condemns himself to chivalrous confinement, from now on he will remain in his castle without a break.

Peasant unrest begins in the country. One of the detachments of peasants forces Getz to become their leader, but he agrees only on certain conditions. Peasants must abandon meaningless robberies and arson and really fight for freedom and their violated rights. If within four weeks they violate the contract, then Berlichingen will leave them. The imperial troops, led by Commissioner Weislingen, pursue Getz's detachment. Part of the peasants is still not able to resist looting, they attack the knight's castle in Miltenberg, set it on fire. Berlichingen is already ready to leave them, but late, he is injured, left alone and captured.

Fate crosses the paths of Weislingen and Getz again. In Adelbert’s hands is Berlichingen’s life. Maria goes to his castle with a request to have mercy on his brother. She finds Weislingen on her deathbed. He was poisoned by the squire Franz. Adelheida seduced him, promising her love if he would give poison to his master. Franz himself, unable to bear the sight of Adalbert’s suffering, is thrown out of the castle window in Mine. Weislingen tears apart the death sentence of Getz in front of Maria and dies. Judges of the secret court sentenced Adelheid to death for adultery and murder of her husband,

In the dungeon of Heilbron is Berlichingen. With him, his faithful wife Elizabeth Rana Getz almost healed, but his soul is exhausted from the blows of fate that fell upon him. He lost all his faithful people, and his young squire Georg died. The good name of Berlichingen is tarnished by his connection with bandits and robbers, he is deprived of all his property.

Maria arrives, she reports that Getz’s life is in danger, but her husband is besieged in his castle and the princes overcome him. An expiring Berlichingen is allowed to stroll through the garden at the prison. The view of the sky, the sun, the trees pleases him. The last time he enjoys all this and dies with the thought of freedom. In the words of Elizabeth: “Woe to the posterity if it does not appreciate you!” the drama of the perfect knight ends.