In a circus, visitor who has just fallen for the “gypsy” dancer Militza is stabbed by a jealous clown, Bajazzo. Militza escapes to the country village of Marienhagen, finding shelter in the house of a local Catholic priest. The priest also falls for Militza. When he is subsequently struck dead by a bolt of lightning one evening during Mass, his mother blames Militza and has her cast out of the village. Militza joins a theatrical troupe whose married leader is disappointed with the general lack of artistic talent and begs Militza to leave with him. Militza refuses, and instead flees on her own. Onboard a ship, she is surprised to encounter the leader of the troupe again. The ship sinks, he dies. She is rescued by a nobleman who takes her to his country estate. Here she finds peace and true love. When the dead priest’s vengeful mother learns that Militza is alive, she kindles fear and superstition among the villagers, who stone Militza to death.

A family's newfound wealth causes problem after problem.

An enslaved girl, Leila, is bought by Vaco Juan Riberda as a gift for his friend, Dr. Jan van Zuylen. van Zuylen is outraged, and refuses. Years later, van Zuylen meets Riberda and Leila again, and finds that they have married. Leila and van Zylen acquaint themselves and fall in love.

France in the first half of the 17th century, at the time of the Duke and all-powerful Cardinal Richelieu. The courtesan Marion Delorme falls in love with the nobleman Didier de Lassigny, although she is still with another nobleman at the time, the Marquis de Saverny. Marion then leaves the Marquis. This leads to a duel between the two aristocratic gentlemen, although duels were strictly forbidden in these circles by Richelieu. When this becomes known, Didier is put in chains and sentenced to death. Marion sacrifices herself for the sake of her new love, but the sacrifice is in vain. Didier, who refused to flee, is finally beheaded by order of the "red executioner" Richelieu.

An Italian spy infiltrates a weapons factory in Germany.

Deviating from the historical facts, Lola is introduced as a young Spanish “Gypsy” who becomes involuntarily embroiled in an attempt to poison the Infante of Spain (a short but splendid cameo by Heinrich George). As a result, she has to flee the country, arriving first in Italy, where she is taught how to act like a lady. Later, in Paris, she is invited to dance at the city’s prestigious opera house, becoming a worldwide sensation. She then becomes secretly involved in a revolutionary plot by Louis Napoléon, the future emperor of France. When the plot fails, Lola is once again forced to flee, this time to Munich, where she captures the attention of Ludwig I. Their ensuing affair arouses a great deal of hatred among the people and the establishment, however. In the end, Lola has no choice but to leave again, and vanishes into the night mist.

Here Richter plays an Armenian princess whose father is being held prisoner by a despotic and corrupt pasha. A confrontation at the New Year’s Eve Ball at the Paris Opera leads to the princess being wrongly suspected of attempted assassination against the pasha. With the help of an English diplomat, she manages to flee Paris, but the pasha and his henchmen are hot on her heels. This marks the start of an extended, action-driven cat-and-mouse game that stretches to the outer regions of the Bosporus – and back again.