On a barren and stormy island, fishing families eke out a meager existence on what they can catch during summer, and what washes ashore during winter. But little has been washing ashore of late, and their situation worsens. Elders recall how twenty years ago, when the lighthouse keeper’s beacon went dark, a cargo ship broke apart on the cliffs. It proved a bountiful accident for the fishermen. Today people on the island view the conscientious lighthouse keepers with evil hungry eyes...

A heated argument has broken out between two parties in a block of flats in Berlin. The families in question, the Kawulkes and the Meyers, clashed over a garbage can. In addition, all the tenants in the building are annoyed by the eternal puddle in front of the front door. But things get even more heated when a "house community" is formed. The story gets its special flair as a rendezvous of typical Berliners, equipped with a certain brashness and with heart and humor.

Frieda and August Walkowiak celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary. However, the marriage has been in crisis for some time. August wants to spend his old age in peace, while Frieda has no intention of giving up her position as LPG chairman. The problems in the countryside are huge, collectivization is not progressing fast enough, even comrade Heinrich Rantsch is clinging to his individual farm. Frieda fights for progress, even in her private life, because not only her burden but also her higher position is a thorn in her husband's side. During the wedding anniversary celebrations, Frieda is called to the LPG. This is the cause of the family quarrel that has been in the air for a long time. August demands her resignation. In vain - and so he moves in with Rantsch. Their daughter Helga also leaves the house because of the tensions. Frieda collapses. When she is in hospital, August comes to his senses.

Magdalena and Michael have loved each other since they were children. But when the Nazis come to power, Michael rebels against the regime and is sentenced to fifteen years in a concentration camp. Magdalena, meanwhile, goes underground with the help of a friend and later immigrates to the Soviet Union. Michael, who has joined the Red Army, discovers on the way to Moscow that Magdalena is staying there. But when his plane lands, she is already on her way back to Germany. Michael hopes that one day, he and Magdalena will be reunited.

East German film about the history of Red Orchestra, a real life German pro-Soviet spy ring created after the rise of Hitler that turned into a resistance movement led by a leftist Nazi officer, Harro Schulze-Boysen, and Arvid Harnack.

Paul and Paula have had bad experiences with love: Paul is financially well off but has lost all affection for his wife, and Paula leads a troublesome life raising two children on her own. They meet and discover a strong passion for each other. Life seems like a dream when they're together - but their short flights from the burdens of reality are once and again interrupted by Paul's ties to family and career.

Hans Richter and his wife Eva () are the parents of four children. When the family received a vacation cheque, they were delighted and a long-cherished wish came true. But Hans Richter's mood after the vacation is not what it should be after a vacation. So what had happened? While on vacation, the family had experienced some surprises, as a result of which the vacation took a completely different course than planned...

Unknown assailants threaten the life of British scientist Dr. Ronald Fergusson. Only by chance does the attempt to shoot him in the street fail. Fergusson, who does not believe in police protection, hires private detective Weber for his personal safety. And time and again, the headstrong scientist makes it difficult for his bodyguard to fend off further assassination attempts. Despite being expressly forbidden to do so, he leaves the house. Full of bad suspicions, Weber looks for his client in the morgue, but Vivian, Fergusson's employee, doesn't know the dead man...