Lothar Firmans

Quax, a former crash pilot, has now become a skilled pilot who even trains student pilots himself. When he crashes his plane with two women on board in the African jungle due to a malfunction, he has several problems to solve: First, he has to cope with the conditions in the wilderness, and then he also has two female creatures in tow!

Set during the rise of the Nazi regime, Elisabeth Maurer and Hans Wieland enjoy successful careers as actors in Berlin. Confident in her career, Elisabeth, who is Jewish, ignores the advice of a colleague to leave Germany in the face of increasing anti-Semitism. Believing that he can protect her if she becomes his wife, Hans convinces Elisabeth to marry him. In the following years, as Hans's career thrives, Elisabeth awaits the end of the Nazi terror which bars her from public life. When the situation worsens in 1938 with the Kristallnacht pogrom, Elisabeth decides to leave the country, but Hans, who still believes he can protect her, convinces her to stay with him.

A small, mountain town. The populace here has long lived off the artisanal production of axes. But due to a glut of cheap, factory goods, the business magnate Brugger is no longer able to sell his axes and he dies before a complete economic collapse. His daughter Anna wants to marry Thomas Volderauer, a friend of her father's, who wishes to once more bring work to the town by moving his metal working factory there. Thus Franz, the son of old Atzinger, has no chance with Anna; especially as his father implores Anna to marry Volderauer. Embittered, Franz leaves the town. In order to earn money, Franz ends up as a tourguide for wealthy tourists and notices that their ice picks aren't good for anything, except maybe cutting ice for their fancy cocktails. He realizes that the manufacture of high quality ice picks, for example, could be good business for his town. He therefore returns there and organizes resistance to the demolition of the town forge.

Professor Schott, director of the Oberland Mountain Observatory, has discovered a new star, which he names "Nova Hercules." Working alongside him are Dr. Gerellis and Dr. Alvens, both vying for the affections of the new assistant, Dr. Aenne Bruck, while the professor's wife, unhappy in her marriage, is interested in Dr. Gerellis and therefore wants a divorce. Due to the emotional entanglements, disappointment, and jealousy, considerable tension arises at the observatory. Then Professor Schott is found dead—poisoned with cyanide. Initially, Gerellis is suspected of the murder, but a photograph of the newly discovered star takes an unexpected turn.

A moving saga focusing on the women in a family that spans three generations and almost 70 years of German history, from the Wilhelmine period through the end of WWII. This film shows that it takes a combination of hard work, political consciousness and family work in tandem to face the tragedies of war, economic hardship and death.

The Luisin ridge is divided not only by the river, but also by the zone boundary. The old CEO Högler still lives in the west, the eastern part has been expropriated and is managed by the chief engineer Dr. Tellen. He is working on a new steel production process that Högler absolutely needs. Högler's means to achieve his goal are bribery, espionage and slander. Trade union member Maria Steinitz almost becomes a victim of slander. However, the intrigue is exposed and Hogler's criminal intentions are thwarted. At a large production meeting, the old people's controller Hufland exposes the true culprits. Maria and Fritz Rottmann, a trade unionist from Munich, who have known each other since the days of the anti-fascist resistance, embrace each other.

During the global economic crisis, "Morgenrot" mine is due to be closed due to unprofitable results. With the use of a machine forbidden for security reasons, the mates try to work more effectively and thus save their jobs. A serious accident happens.

The very successful actress Lena Andres marries Dr. Paul Meinhardt. For his sake she gives up her acting career.