Ulla and Gunnar meet and fall in love in Stockholm in the late 1930s. Early in their relationship Ulla discovers that she is pregnant but she decides to get an abortion because she doesn't want to pressure Gunnar into marrying her. The outbreak of the war puts a strain on their relationship when Gunnar gets called up for military service.
A stateless lawyer comes with his son Karel and his two daughters Vanja and Sonja as refugees to Stockholm. No one gets work permit in Sweden and the family's problems grows to not just financially. The idleness and hopelessness towards the future is almost worse and that can lead into dangerous paths.