In 1933 Nuremberg, successful Jewish businessman Leo Katzenberger owns an apartment building and runs a shoe store. A devoted family man, he has a good relationship with his loving wife Claire. As the climate in Germany grows increasingly dangerous, bombshell Irene moves to the neighborhood. After forming an unlikely friendship, his relationship with Irene is immediately regarded with suspicion.
The title refers to the Feuerzangenbowle punch consumed by a group of gentlemen in the opening scene. While they exchange nostalgic stories about their schooldays, the successful young writer Dr. Johannes Pfeiffer realizes he missed out on something because he was taught at home and never attended school. He decides to make up for it by masquerading as a student at a small-town high school. At the school, he quickly gains a reputation as a prankster. Together with his classmates, he torments his professors Crey, Bömmel, and Headmaster Knauer with adolescent mischief. His girlfriend Marion unsuccessfully tries to persuade him to give up his foolish charade. Eventually, he falls in love with the headmaster's daughter and discloses his identity after provoking the teachers into expelling him from school.
High school student Fabian König is kicked out of school and starts a gang that specializes in theft. He falls in love with the orphan girl Ulla, but she rejects him when she finds out how he spends his time. When the pimp Horst tries to rape Ulla, she is rescued by Fabian. Shortly afterwards, Horst's body is found and Fabian is convicted of the murder due to the false testimony of a witness. In prison, he comes to trust the prison doctor Dr. Knittel, who believes him and is able to unmask the real culprit.
A German soldier home on leave falls in love with a girl, then returns to World War II.
After the death of his mother, little Peter lives with his great sister Helga at his adoptive father Professor Hartmann. Peter is seriously ill, can not get upset and therefore also on the advice of his doctor Heinz Stark no more music. Even his revered Donkosaks , who remember him with their songs to his Russian mother, can no longer listen to him on the radio. It is all the more pleasing to him when the choir, during a tour with their conductor Serge Jaroff and their manager Rolf Bender, has an autopanne near his home. While Chauffeur Karl repairs the bus, Peter sings the choir's title The Evening Star, glowing us two - a song of his mother, which the choir has never heard before.
Britta is the foster daughter of Professor Rydberg. The last 13 years she has lived with him and his son Sven. She and Sven are closely not only at the siblings' way. They are engaged.
Admiral Canaris is chief of the intelligence service of Nazi Germany. His department is quite successful and Hitler grants him all the money he wants for new developments. Still he's a thorn in the side of the Nazi chiefs, since he's not as unscrupulous as they want him and is known to criticize their ideology.