A group of German boys are ordered to protect a small bridge in their home village during the waning months of the second world war. Truckloads of defeated, cynical Wehrmacht soldiers flee the approaching American troops, but the boys, full of enthusiasm for the "blood and honor" Nazi ideology, stay to defend the useless bridge. The film is based on a West German anti-war novel of the same name, written by Gregor Dorfmeister.

We follow 15-year-old Paule‘s hard life on his parents' farm. Under his controlling father – who is fighting to save the homestead – he and his brother are forced to work very hard. When his brother leaves, the shy and obedient Paule meets the city girl Elfi – and with her a reason to rebel against the despotic and coarse father.

Heinz Erhardt wanders through the Black Forest as a photographer for a magazine. On the train he meets a young girl who from now on does not leave his side.

Eberhard Dobermann is a widower and a policeman who loves to control the roads and let people pay fines. Even with his neighbour and friend Jutta Schmalbach he has no pity. Thus he cannot understand why his daughter Karin just falls in love with a racing pilot called Walter. But it gets even worse when Eberhard wins a VW-Kaefer at the annual police party. So he has to learn to drive and thus even brings his teacher close to a heart attack.

Househusband Heinz lives with his two brothers Otto and Eduard. When Heinz wins a luxury cruise in a pop song contest, Otto and Eduard don't want to stay at home. The two decide to secretly go along as stowaways...