Karl Günther

In 1848, the freedom-loving Hungarian people, led by Ludwig Kossuth, rose up against the hated rule of the Austrian Habsburg dynasty. In its expansionist policy, the Austrian monarchy had long relied on Hungarian feudal lords who betrayed the interests of their people. The anger of the rebels was directed against the Austrian oppressors and their Hungarian supporters. Against the backdrop of these historical events, the personal fate of the Hungarian patriot Maria Ilona is shown.

The young opera singer Carla is in love with the talented young composer Michele, who wants to make it big with classical music and writes his first opera, "The Return of Odysseus," for Carla. But Carla is more successful than he is and gets a gig at La Scala in Milan. Through her connections, she manages to find a publisher for Michele's opera. But when Michele learns what the publisher really thinks of his work, he leaves and abandons Carla. A year later, Carla finds Michele again. He has since become a sought-after composer, but is embittered because he is only successful with pop songs. His new revue "Dream Music," a reworking of his opera, is about to premiere. Carla then arranges for Michele's original opera to premiere in Budapest with her in the lead role.

The day before chemist Dr. Hans Wynhold leaves for a six months business trip to Africa, he meets chemistry student Christa Weiden. They spend the evening together in St. Pauli and fall in love. She doesn't tell him that she'll start the next day at the chemistry laboratory he works at too, because he says he doesn't like women in "men's jobs". Only after his departure the next day Christa learns about Hans' reputation as a Don Juan. In fear that she'll lose him to another woman, she follows him... and starts a series of complications.

Matthias Scheichelroither is a poor but always cheerful, or rather, jolly farmer. He has grand plans for his son Heini, nicknamed "Heinerle": He intends for him to one day become a trained academic, a doctor. To achieve this, the old man scrims and saves to give Heinerle a perfect education. But Heini has other plans: Instead of focusing on his studies, he is drawn to music. With the help of Vivian Harrison, a wealthy American woman who is in love with him, he finally manages to organize his first concert as a composer.

A finicky old bachelor falls head over heels for an attractive young woman he meets.

The young doctor Dr. Virginia Larsen fights in vain against malaria on an island in the Antilles. She finally receives support from Dr. Dos Passos. The doctor persuades the rebellious natives to get vaccinated. They even help to dispel the suspicion of murder weighing on Dos Passos.

In Vienna, during the 1848 Revolution, opera singer Antonia Corvelli marries Detlev von Blossin, a rich landowner. But, as she refuses to give up her career, her infuriated husband returns to Pomerania without her. After falling into the clutches of the cruel and wicked count Stefan Oginski, whose lover she unfortunately becomes, Antonia has no other choice but to pass for dead in order to escape him. She then returns to Italy where she joins small theater companies under various aliases. Until one day she is overtaken by her fate...

Against her father’s wishes, the ringmaster Wallner, Helga forms a connection with the wild animal trainer Peter. After he is almost killed during an appearance, he promises his mistress, that he’ll never work with wild animals again. From that point on, he works with Helga on safe horse numbers. When Helga finds out from Peter’s friend Otto, that Peter would rather work with wild animals again, she doesn’t want to stand in the way of her beloved’s dreams. Helga disappears and leaves Otto enough money to buy Peter a new group of lions. For a long time, Peter and Helga do not see one another, though neither can forget the other. When Helga hears from Otto one day, that Peter is practicing a very dangerous number involving wild animals, during which Otto is to play the “lead”, Helga makes a fatal decision, so she might see Peter again.