October 1982: The entire German political scene is corrupt, the German government a puppet of the USA. To play it safe, the CIA replaces German politicians with compliant doubles. When the chancellor's doppelganger, of all people, is to be taken out of circulation, the secret service accidentally kills the real chancellor, who is floating dead in the swimming pool. Agent Erwin of the Federal Criminal Police Office is assigned to solve the case...

Without knowing it, Alfred and Julia live in a land of pure invention. It is the richest and most beautiful land in the world. From a height, this land looks like a piece of felt, from close up like a clean and tiny park. The footpaths are lined with benches and the streets with banks. Alfred and Julia have been married for 8 years, are childless, and live on the 16th floor of a new building. Thanks to their various crises, they have got to know each other somewhat better, but their most outstanding characteristic remains their mediocrity. On Friday, August 12th 1977, a mysterious epidemic breaks out in their country. The mass media ensure that the news is widely broadcast. The authorities order a ban on information, but those concerned break their imposed silence. On Sunday evening, it becomes known that the epidemic was nomore than a kind of "dress rehearsal" for a real emergency. Alfred and Julia continue to live in a land of pure invention - but now they are conscious of the fact.