Four hours by boat from the lightship Elbe 1 is the southern entrance and lock of the Kiel Canal. There, in Brunsbüttelkoog, is a seamen's home run by Klara Andresen. This is the main setting of the movie. In the sailors' wives' home, the wives of sailors wait for their return. Klara Andresen not only looks after the concerns of the waiting sailors' wives, but also her brother-in-law Gustav Andresen . Gustav has gone to sea as a ship's cook and now wants to get married. That's why he has placed a marriage announcement and is waiting for the reactions.

The film by a film student making his graduation film about a film student making his graduation film.

History of a Jewish family, the Oppermanns, in Berlin at the end of 1932, after Hitler has become the leader of Germany's strongest political party.

Lena is married to bricklayer Albert and has three children. While the offspring rebel more and more openly and massively against their father's entrenched ideas and values as they get older, Lena takes the path of silent protest. But even this provocative method has an effect after a while. In this way, after 15 years of marriage, Lena manages to free herself from the role of the oppressed wife.

Maria embarks on a one-night stand with Lothar. Lothar proves to be a ruthless seducer and when Maria becomes pregnant, she sinks into a nightmare from which there seems to be no escape.