Normal everyday life in an apartment building on Plantagenstraße in East Berlin is disrupted when a truck pulls up with the new tenants' furniture. And they include two small children - now, of all times, when old Matuschke's wife has just died and consideration should actually be shown for the widower. Even worse for Mrs. Tillack, however, is the fact that the entire male world seems to be after her 16-year-old daughter Katrin.
End of the 1970s in East Germany: Fred and Jonas are close friends. The 10-year-olds live near at the German-German frontier. After the mother from Jonas has made an exit application, the boys have to recognize that they are soon separated from each other. But they want to dig a tunnel to Australia to meet there themselves again. When Jonas should leave the country with his mother this night changes everything.
Anne Grainauer, a celebrated foreign correspondent, suddenly finds herself without a job after 24 years. The charming Gregor König offers some consolation. Anne finds out that Gregor is not only the mayor of Dresden, but also the favorite enemy of her daughter Jess, who is leading a citizens' initiative against the airport expansion. Gregor persistently courts Anne's heart. And she has to make a decision.
The girl Jorinde and the foundling Joringel grow up sheltered in a farmer's cottage behind the moor, but the dense forest around them harbors deep secrets. One day, a sorceress, omnipresent as an owl, juniper tree or in fairy form, takes the beautiful Jorinde away. Her mother, father and Joringel are left behind in sorrow. However, determined Joringel sets off in search of Jorinde. Although the enchantress tries to convince him that his search is in vain, he succeeds in finding his beloved in an enchanted castle. There she lives, enchanted, alongside many other beauties, unattainable for reality. But it is the special power of the love between the two that enables Joringel to recognize Jorinde, who has been transformed into a nightingale, among many other nightingales. The spell expires. But peace only returns when Joringel saves his family from marauders and defeats them in battle.
It's 1989 in East Berlin: Suzie is kicked out of school shortly before she graduates from high school and has to defend herself as a worker in the cable factory. However, a randomly taken photo leads her to the fashion world of the GDR. The editor-in-chief Elsa Wilbrodt put her on the cover of Sibylle, the fashion magazine of the GDR. In the Berlin underground scene she made the acquaintance of the gay fashion designer Rudi and the photographer Coyote. Suzie must decide if she's brave enough to leave the old strands behind forever.
Borchert hates it when people lie to him. From his very first meeting with murder suspect Xavier Schliemann, he has doubts about the man's sincerity. The smart diamond dealer is accused of shooting his ex-business partner. Instead of testifying to Captain Furrer as agreed, Xavier goes into hiding. Then, contrary to expectations, the enraged Borchert stumbles upon evidence that exonerates his client.
In 1988, the East Berlin homicide squad again and again encounters crimes that - according to the opinion of party leadership and state security - do not exist in socialism.
The young sailor Felix Striebel goes on vacation to a village and visits the fresh grave of "Mother Magda".
The time is World War II, and Juergen Siebusch and his mother are retreating along with the German army, just ahead of the invading Russian forces. Both mother and son hole up in the town of Hohengoerse, where Juergen finds some work watching over sheep - and learns a bit about the facts of sheep life that he extrapolates to some advantage when he meets the appealing Amelie, daughter of the landowner. He first helps Amelie out and later applies his new-found knowledge in a barn, appropriately enough. As the Red Army draws near, Juergen deserts a hastily put-together "people's force," as he prefers the barn to the gun. Russian soldiers are shown sleeping and snoring next to their tanks, and the local fascist executed - the war is over. When the new Communist government sets up a land reform package, Amelie's mother's land gets divided up into small plots for small farmers.
A young lawyer stumbles upon a vast conspiracy while investigating a brutal murder case.
In post-war Germany, liberation by the Allies does not mean freedom for everyone. Hans Hoffmann is repeatedly imprisoned under Paragraph 175, which criminalizes homosexuality. Nevertheless, over the decades, he continues his quest for freedom and love, even if he finds it in the most unusual places.
