Ursula Barlen

The Riehl family is preparing for their vacation in Italy together. But shortly before the start comes the bad news: a colleague of Mr. Riehl, who is now the managing director of a furniture store, has broken his leg.

American billionaire George B. Stefenson is on a business trip through Europe when, due to his heavy workload, he suffers a heart attack. The doctor called to his aid, Dr. Hartung, strongly advises him to take a three-month break—in other words, to take a “vacation from himself.” After some hesitation, Stefenson agrees and also commits to funding the project, since an institution offering such a program has so far existed only as a dream in the doctor’s mind. As part of the “vacation from the self,” all participants are given a new first name and work clothes so they do not have to reveal their true identities to any of the other residents.

Student Helene moves to Berlin to write her doctoral thesis. In the laboratory of her doctoral supervisor, the renowned Professor Matthias, she meets the charming Dr. Stefan Rainer. Helene falls in love with him, unaware that Stefan is already having an affair with Matthias′ wife Yvonne.

After being sexually assaulted, a farmer's daughter, rejected by her parents, ends up with pimps and whores in a brothel until an honest car mechanic frees her.

Sissy has inherited a hotel and stud farm from her parents. Unfortunately, her father was very much in debt, so she has to put up with the paternalism of a distant aunt. But she wants to turn everything on the farm upside down and fires all the experienced employees. This leads to huge chaos, as the inexperienced new staff find it difficult to cope with the horses in particular. When Sissy is also supposed to marry a bank manager friend, the trouble is perfect.

A young man named Jürgen joins the military. As much as he tries to make a heroic career as a soldier in a rearmed West Germany, he fails utterly and ends up in a bizarre sanatorium.

Hans Albers plays returning war veteran Hans Richter who has trouble finding work. With nowhere else to turn, Richter gets involved with black market activities. This so disgusts Richter's son, blind ex-soldier Edwin (Paul Edwin Roth), that the boy literally disowns his father. Hans eventually mends his ways, but not before several other devastating setbacks.