Berlin in the 60s. The construction of the Berlin Wall not only divides the city, but also separates the Rechlin family. While mother Ingelore lives with husband Hannes and the youngest son in the eastern part of the city, the young, married daughter Beate lives in West Berlin. Even when she gives birth to the first grandson, the newly baked grandma Ingelore cannot visit her. Travel permits are only issued one year later. But the formerly so tight family bond is burdened by the long separation. Son Bernd also avoids the rest of the family, as his new girlfriend has just been released from prison because of attempted "republic escape". And so Mother Ingelore almost has to watch her family shatter.

In East Berlin in the late 70s, two boys meet one evening in a disco: Thomas, who is from a working class family and is doing an apprenticeship, and Michael, a 16-year-old school pupil from an educated middle-class family. They both miss the tram home and walk together instead, ending up at Michael’s house where they discuss God and the world into the early hours. Following this encounter the two boys enter into an unusual friendship, united by their mutual desire to get away from the phoniness, the limitations and the restrictions of their parents and of society.

Willi Zubrodt is delegated by his department to a parachuting course at the GST. As he is not very disciplined, has no respect for the instructors and does not fit into the collective, the instructors try to show him up and force his expulsion from the course. However, the attempts to prove that he had gaps in his theory and physical condition were a complete failure. Zubrodt manages to turn the tables each time.

Micha does the same. He falls in love with Claudia, whom he hardly knew until then, and he falls in love with the role of being a father. Friends and acquaintances bring their children to him and Micha becomes a babysitter, initially against his will. Everything could go on like this, if it weren't for one thing that Micha doesn't know: Claudia's child is not his. Claudia herself has made a compromise in her ideas about life and love that she is now unable to cope with.

A little boy tries to keep a huge Newfoundland dog in his family's apartment.

In a backwater town, opera director Andrej Wischnewsky is supposed to put on a production of Mozart's "Don Giovanni".

Dentist Dr. Franke's selfless willingness to help is much appreciated by neighbors and acquaintances in the GDR. There is only one exception: Biggi, the beautiful coach of the ice hockey team that Dr. Franke looks after. Biggi thinks Dr. Franke is a particularly clumsy little man. But there's also Nurse Agnes, who once again has to stick her nose into matters that don't really concern her, and thus helps things along...

Twenty-year-old electronics technician Liane, desperate to escape her broken home, resists a demotion at work and falls for research student Jürgen. Fiercely defending colleague Kalle against unfair accusations, she overshadows her own troubles, including an unplanned pregnancy. When Jürgen betrays her, Liane collapses, and she wonders if a new beginning with steadfast Kalle is possible.

Vera Urban is on a ski holiday with her children. Her two admirers - the sailor Winter and Savings Bank leader Martin - travel enthusiastically in the snow to finally conquer the heart of their worshiped in a relaxed holiday atmosphere. There are also times to use unfair means to cut out the side buhler. But the two competitions get unimagined: Vera's ex-husband Georg also spends holidays in the same hotel. Does old love flare up again?