Sissi is now the empress of Austria and attempts to learn etiquette. While she is busy being empress she also has to deal with her difficult new mother-in-law, while the arch-duchess Sophie is trying to tell the emperor how to rule and also Sissi how to be a mother.

The young Bavarian princess Elisabeth, who all call Sissi, goes with her mother and older sister Néné to Austria where Néné will be wed to an emperor named Franz Joseph, Yet unexpectedly Franz runs into Sissi while out fishing and they fall in love.

After a wonderful time in Hungary Sissi falls extremely ill and must retreat to a Mediterranean climate to rest. The young empress’ mother takes her from Austria to recover in Madeira.

Singing sailor Hannes, who now entertains the crowd at St. Pauli's Hippodrome after years at sea, promises his dying brother that he will take care of his ex-girlfriend Gisa. Taking Gisa to Hamburg to live with him, Hannes quickly falls in love with her, but soon has to face Gisa's affection for another man, Willem.

Old John Carstens sells his marine‐equipment firm to Lafrenz, unaware it’s now a fuel‐smuggling front. Living above the showroom with daughter Hanna and son Jochen, he resists Lafrenz’s pressure. When Hanna falls for bargeman Oschi Rasmus, Lafrenz demands John either give up Hanna or settle his debts. John defies him and dies. Oschi clears John’s debts, but Lafrenz soon plots against the young couple.

Andreas, a young German student comes to Hungary on an exchange programme. In the Hungarian village he falls in love with the stationmaster's daughter Piroschka and spends much of his time with her. They have an enchanting summer until Andreas gets an invitation to join another young woman at a nearby resort. Piroschka is jealous and follows him there, causing trouble. It takes a long time for Andreas and Piroschka to even talk to each other again. When Andreas has to leave Hungary at the end of his holiday, he is determined to return some day.

Mommsen Gymnasium director Taft secretly places his nephew as a spy with the difficult class of Pepe Nietnagel. During the celebration for the 100th anniversary, a simulated fire forces the school to shut down for a week. The director's attempt to get a tough teacher assigned by the department of education results in the exact opposite because of Nietnagel's intervention.

A successful German overseas merchant with a plantation in Haiti is looking for a suitable wife in Hamburg and comes across a barmaid from the Reeperbahn with an illegitimate child. He wants to marry her, but she does not follow him out of nobility. In search of her, he finds her in Mexico as the secretary of his former lover, a writer.

Driving instructor Carola "Charley" can no longer stand the constant advances of her pupils and quits her job without further ado. To gain some distance, she takes the opportunity to look after her friend Lilo's dog, the two parrots and her apartment while Lilo is on vacation. But even here she has to fend off unloved admirers, as Lilo earns her living as a playgirl. However, "Charley" has received a good tip from her friend: As soon as a man becomes too pushy, janitor Pinkus pretends to be "Captain Tressblekken" on cue and quickly chases the visitors away. But when the real Uncle Tressblekken turns up at "Charley's" house, chaos can no longer be averted...

September 11, 1898: The imperial family’s personal physician, Dr. Herman Widerhofer, is deeply shocked by the news that an anarchist has assassinated Empress Elisabeth in Geneva. He then shuts himself up in his private rooms and recalls the empress’ fateful life. We learn the truth about Elisabeth, as the doctor knew more about her than anyone else.