A quirky family lives their simple but joyful life which centers around the youngest family member, a little boy.

Young Karl Roßmann emigrates to the USA, meets a rich man whose money Karl initially lives off, but who soon throws him out again.

Arthur Milton aka Der Hexer (The Magician/Ringer) must return to London after his calling card was left at the scene of a murder he did not commit.

Company commander Bicorne, loser at Waterloo, inherits a house and a little money in Andilly-les-Prés.

The paths of three men cross for a short time in post-war Berlin. Robert and Willy are unattached and unemployed, Georg has joined them from Hamburg, he has a family and occasionally does something crooked. That's what the three of them are up to together: A safe is to be cracked, the plan comes from Robert. Then Else shows up, a former girlfriend of Robert's who now lives with his buddy Willy. She is interested in Robert again, but he turns her down. Blind with jealousy, Willy nevertheless feels betrayed and rats out their joint scheme to the police. As they stand in front of the strongbox, they are surrounded by police officers. One of them, Inspector Stern, suddenly recognizes in Robert the man who saved his life during the war.