Two rival gangs try to obtain the five parts of a dangerous formula held by five scientists.

The film essentially uses the original text of the play. The weavers, who toil away at home, deliver their goods to the manufacturer Dreißiger and receive their meager wages. Led by the young weaver Bäcker and the former soldier Moritz Jäger, they form a resistance group and storm the manufacturer's villa, who barely manages to save himself and his family. As the revolt spreads, the king sends in the military to quell the uprising. The old weaver Hilse, who refuses to participate in the uprising for religious reasons, is hit by a stray bullet while sitting at his loom and dies.

The leader of a right-wing German political party discovers that an illiterate woodcarver is actually the son of Adolf Hitler.

The young unskilled worker Günter is employed in a foundry and spends his free time with friends of the same age. Together they form a motorcycle gang. But then Günter meets the daughter of an authorized signatory, Gisela, whose parents do not take kindly to the allegedly indecent young man. Gisela takes flight and introduces Günter to her parents on the spur of the moment so that they can overcome their prejudices. But it comes to a violent quarrel between Gisela's father and Günter...

Four young German naval cadets begin their military service in 1940; only one of them will survive.

Swedish military attaché Stig Wennerström comes into contact with the US secret service at a party. After a trip to Moscow, he provides the Americans with valuable information about Soviet jets. But Wennerström is playing a double game. Lieutenant General Aratov, a Russian officer, approaches him and becomes his partner in shady dealings. For three years, the double agent game works. But then the Soviet secret service discovers that Colonel Wennerström is also working for the class enemy. The Swede is forced to spy exclusively for the Soviets from then on and goes to the American capital...