The film depicts the first month of 1945 when the Russian Red Army broke into the eastern part of Germany and forced millions of civilians to flee in the coldest of winter. While the Russians invaded Ostpreussen hundred of thousands of civilians were evacuated by ships. Gotenhafen was the last open port and ships left the town almost by the minute, overloaded by refugees. One of the last ships to leave Gotenhafen was the 'Wilhelm Gustloff', a former 'Kraft durch Freude' pleasure cruiser designed for 1000 passengers. Until today it is unknown how many people were on board but it is said to be around 10.000. The ship sunk without a trace and only a handful of people survived this hellish nightmare.

In 1815 Vienna, a corsetmaker falls in love with a valet.

Azerbaijan, 1919. The British hope to secure control of the vast oil fields around Baku by launching a series of terrorist attacks on them. Hans Romberg, a German who is working as a security officer, battles with the British chief agent Captain Forbes and his associates. (Description from Wikipedia)

The young veterinarian Dr. Vlimmen settles in a small town on the North Sea coast. When he reports the conditions in the local slaughterhouse as cruelty to animals, he makes an enemy of the influential butcher van Heusden, who launches a smear campaign against him. Vlimmen is only supported by his sister Truus and his friend, lawyer Dacka, who loves Truus. In the end, Vlimmen succeeds in clearing his name. Through a daring operation, he regains his reputation and also finds Nel, the daughter of councillor van der Kalk.

An apple juice producer can't decide between his wife and his secretary and tries to commit suicide. Being committed to psychiatry, he falls asleep and dreams of adventures as Adam and Eve in heaven and hell.

The bailiff Engel is believed to be an heir to the millions via a fictitious newspaper advertisement. It is said to have a mink farm. Your debtors mean my nun that as a millionaire you can pay the debts. Some dowry hunters have seen it on them too. Paulchen, who shows the ad, has in Ms. Engel and in the end she also has a couple.