When the cosmopolitan pastor Linhart takes care of the pregnant, unmarried maid Angela, the entire village believes that he must be the father of the child—especially when he takes in the baby Andreas after the mother's death. Twenty years pass. Andreas has grown into a handsome young man. The old rumors have long since been forgotten. But when Andreas falls in love with the pretty Hanni and the old farmer Santner wants to leave him his farm, the envy and hatred of the villagers are reawakened.

When seminarian Martin Rufmann arrives in St. Eustachen, idyllically located in the Carinthian mountains, the local choral society is celebrating a joyous festival. Martin is the youngest son of the widowed head forester Thomas Rufmann. Martin's older brother Friedolin has inherited his father's love of hunting and is one of the best hunters in the area. He is also engaged to the pretty innkeeper's daughter Helene Schwarzaug. At the feast, Friedolin and his cronies drink heavily to the black liquor of the charcoal burner Krauthaas. Friedolin and the townspeople Günther have a loud argument in front of everyone. When Günther is found murdered a short time later, suspicion immediately falls on Friedolin. To save his brother, Martin accuses himself of the crime. The two brothers are arrested. The real culprit soon turns himself in, but in the meantime Thomas Rufmann has disappeared without a trace.

The wealthy farm heir Toni loves the maid Maria, but is supposed to marry the wealthy neighbor's daughter Annerl. She only has eyes for a penniless woodcarver. Only when Toni's stubborn father dies does a future for the lovers begin.

With much hard work and effort, the Lechner farmer has built a substantial estate. As a wealthy landowner, he trusts that his son Jakob, a trained farmer, will continue to run the farm in his spirit. However, Jakob is an idealistic young man who does not share his father's ideas. The plan to marry him to Anni, the daughter of the wealthy Mayor Huber, is also met with little enthusiasm by Jakob, especially since he has fallen in love with the young and pretty dairymaid Liesl, whom he recently met on the mountain pasture. However, a penniless maid is not considered appropriate as a daughter-in-law by the strict patriarch. A serious argument ensues between Jakob and his father...

The huntsman of a Bavarian monastery falls in love with a beautiful girl and convinces the provost to make his steward delay her brother's feudal due arrears.

Pauli is a professional wood carver of religious figures, but can't get the approval of his girlfriend's strict father.

The film, shot as a “historical documentary drama,” describes the so-called Fettmilch Revolt, or civil uprising, in Frankfurt am Main between 1612 and 1616. In the run-up to Matthias' election as Holy Roman Emperor, the citizens are called upon to take an oath to protect and ensure the safety of the electors gathered in the city. As part of the oath, the guild members are threatened with the loss of their rights. Now they want to demand that the council announce the privileges they know nothing about.