After the end of World War II Lüder Lüdersen, the former owner of a feudal estate in the East, and his daughter Helga arrive as refugees in the Lüneburg Heath. While living a seemingly happy life on the estate of his cousin, Lüdersen hides a dark secret: he is a poacher.
March, 1945: The insecure and hesitant reserve lieutenant Felix Bleck receives orders to lead a transport of 40 prisoners to the Western Front, where the men are to be burned up in a punishment battalion. On the way there, Bleck realizes the inhuman futility of his assignment and makes a fateful...
Doris Putzke is fond of dating men in her quest to find the perfect one. In her brief relationships, she goes from one disillusionment to another, constantly deluding herself about the intentions of her lovers.
Heinz Erhardt wanders through the Black Forest as a photographer for a magazine. On the train he meets a young girl who from now on does not leave his side.
Aspiring singer Susanne takes over for ham actor Viktor at a small cabaret in Berlin where he works a woman impersonator and per chance she's discovered by an agent, who thinks, that she really is a man. She becomes famous, but her situation becomes troublesome, when she falls in love with Robert.
After a line of mischief Philip Gale, an American sailor, is lured into hiring on the "Yorikke", a tramp cargo, by Lawski, a stoker from Poland. Still, the two become friends within the motley crew of losers from all nations. Gale and his new companion soon are more than disillusioned: the...
Three episodes depict events that actually took place in the years before the film was made. Three true‐life dramas explore teacher–student taboos: 1. Monika: A young teacher’s love for his pregnant 17‐year‐old student leads to his self‐incrimination amid legal peril. 2. Sybille: A...
Thomas Lieven is a German secret agent trying to leave that profession, to live a peaceful life. Adventure is too strong an appeal, he starts working again, and soon it's difficult to say if he is doing his job, or turned out as double agent for England, France or even communist Russia! To save his...
Duke Ferdinand of Novara-Liechtenstein flees the duchy to avoid an arranged marriage with princess Anna Silvana of Este-Parma. He loses his papers on the flight and is treated as an imposter at the inn where he stays. The princess is hot on his heels, and ends up staying at the same inn under an...
The painter Hans Hauser falls head over heels in love with the "Black Forest girl" Bärbele Riederle. He travels to her home village and soon the two realize that they are made for each other.
The beautician Angela Bell, a well-off middle-aged lady, and the respected fashion doctor Prof. Christian Hollmann would like to get married, but there is a catch: Hollmann is still married to his somewhat annoying wife Margot. Angela, however, has to get married as soon as possible because as a...