From one day to the next, the diva falls from the Olympus of the opera world when she rushes to the aid of her sick father Karl and cancels a performance at the Cologne Opera. The audience and, above all, the management are furious, as "Die Herbst" has been harassing the directors of the major opera houses for years with her whims and demands. The second cast is now to be given their chance.

In a hospital in Hamburg, an unidentified woman is disconnected from the life-support system. While the investigators search for the mysterious perpetrator, two more men are murdered.

Berlin summer of 1967, young Max wants to know how women look like "down there". He chose the young tailoress Sabine as an object of his desire. Despite some setbacks Max does not want to give up. But finally he dares too much.

Marie lives in a small town in Brandenburg, while the love of her life, Thomas, has left her to seek his fortune in the West. She succumbs to the monotony of her assembly line work and caring for her sick mother. But then Thomas suddenly reappears - along with his new family.

Music teacher Carlo, an easygoing old rock'n'roller, meets doctor Ellen in hospital. She is completely stressed out, so that even son Franz often falls by the wayside. A short time later, Carlo makes an unforgivable mistake: fed up with the pupils' never-ending paltry questions, he advises Franz, whose anger at his mother is slowly boiling over, that he should simply report her to the Youth Welfare Office.