Gottfried Jonathan, a small civil servant, lives as a lodger and is roommates with the blonde Käthe. Although she tries very hard, she can’t find a job and can no longer afford her rent of 40 marks. Jonathan secretly loves Käthe and decides to raise the necessary money for her.
The night before his wedding George gets drunk and marries a chorus girl. Her boyfriend appears, they fight and are believed dead, so she is now "the bridegroom's widow" (die Bräutigamswitwe). When they both come back one after another they must hide from the Police as they believe they have murdered each other, while the inspector believes there are ghosts in the house.