Berlin, 1938: The passionate music lover and pianist Ursula falls in love with the budding opera singer Wolfgang Heye. The two become a couple and Ursula experiences the love of her life. Against the wishes of her parents, she marries the artist and has two children, Bärbel and Uwe. But the young family's happiness does not last long. Wolfgang has to go to war with the German armed forces. Suddenly Ursula is on her own and has to get herself and the children through the war and build a new existence for herself in post-war Germany.