In the little town of Herzsprung - whose name harks back to an ancient legend of broken hearts - almost nothing has changed since German unification, except a rise in unemployment. Johanna, a young mother and widow, becomes one of the unemployed and lives on welfare. To make matters worse, she falls in love with a dark-skinned, roving adventurer and the whole village starts talking about it.

Rüdiger Stein starts filming Klaus and Manuela, young expectant parents, for a documentary on the topic "Starting a Family." As the project threatens to fall apart, Rüdiger becomes personally involved in this family-to-be, an experience which enables him to open his eyes to his life and work.

In East Berlin in the late 70s, two boys meet one evening in a disco: Thomas, who is from a working class family and is doing an apprenticeship, and Michael, a 16-year-old school pupil from an educated middle-class family. They both miss the tram home and walk together instead, ending up at Michael’s house where they discuss God and the world into the early hours. Following this encounter the two boys enter into an unusual friendship, united by their mutual desire to get away from the phoniness, the limitations and the restrictions of their parents and of society.

804, Thuringia. An orphan boy, called Bengel, lives in a monastery and is teased by the nuns because of his ugliness. He nurses a black rider, who is shunned by everyone and is said to have the plague, back to health. The rider tells him about the missing Bogumil, son of the Slavic king Slavomir, who was to marry Reglindis, the daughter of the Margrave of Thuringia, by order of Charlemagne. And he asks Bengel about his origins. Bengel now believes he is Bogumil. He goes to the castle and meets a beautiful girl who also thinks he is beautiful. It is Reglindis, she is blind. The girl senses the boy's inner beauty and is very fond of him. Her father, however, wants to kill him. Bengel narrowly escapes death twice, the Black Rider impressively proves his identity with Bogumil and finally there is a happy ending.

In 1928 Berlin, 19-year-old stenotypist Erna Halbe lands a prized typing job at Orga Privat. Thrust into the soul-killing monotony of a sprawling corporate office, she rallies her fellow typists to challenge unjust working conditions. Amid economic tremors foreshadowing the 1929 crash, Erna fights for workplace justice, and discovers first love in the city’s heady mix of hope and hardship.

After causing a deadly hit-and-run motorcycle accident, Conny Schenk spends two years in prison, where he is able to complete a printing apprenticeship and is released early for good behavior. While he is still on probation, money is stolen at the company where he works and everyone is quick to suspect Conny. Can he overcome his past mistakes and start fresh, or will the mistrust of his colleagues and friends become a self-fulfilling prophecy?

Two doctors, a German and a Czech brain surgeon, meet in a Berlin hospital, unaware of how fatefully they are linked by events from a dark past. A trip to a congress in Prague and an encounter with the wife of his Czech colleague force the German chief surgeon to rethink his previous life. The film deals with the explosive topic of the extent and causes of complicity in the crimes of National Socialism.

A new member joins Trumpolt's road construction brigade - Wenzel Heiseke, who has a reputation for being a loudmouth. But he has actually been dismissed because of his critical words. Trumpolt believes he can turn him around with his tried-and-tested hair-pulling method, as there are no problems in his decorated brigade. But unexpectedly for him and his colleagues, the newcomer remains stubborn and silent, refusing to be provoked by anything. His strange behavior divides the brigade. Conflicts in the teamwork that had previously been forcibly covered up erupt. Wenzel's silence is instructive for the brigade; they no longer want to do without him, who has found his way back to some truthful words. However, his behavior with the pretty Martina from the construction office almost leads to shipwreck ..

The last journey of Thomaskantor Johann Sebastian Bach leads from Leipzig to Potsdam. Already 60 years old, he hopes that an audition with the Prussian King Frederick II will not only bring him artistic recognition and renewed appreciation, but also an end to his grueling financial worries.

A murder has been committed in "Pension Boulanka", a famous guesthouse for artists and circus people. Captain Bruckner is heading the investigating team.

Mira is a young, bigoted, rich and greedy auntie who makes the people around her dance to her tune. And if she ever suffers the minor ailments of old age, it is Doctor Falk, the husband of her niece Suschen, who cures her ailments. In the face of Mira's wealth, the dear relatives outdo each other in courting her aunt's favor, begrudgingly lying in wait for each other. But their greedy hopes are dashed one day when the old maid believes she has been impregnated by a guest of the Napoleonic army. This miracle prompts Auntie to sacrifice her fortune in order to secure the silence and help of the Falks.

Karoline Gluth is approaching forty, has an 18-year-old son who is studying and is therefore independent. She decides to start a new life and says goodbye to the family inn on the island of Rügen, where she earned a good living as a cook. She buys a little house on the outskirts of Berlin - based on a photo. The reality, however, looks less favourable than the picture. The house is close to collapse and has an illegal occupant, Christian. She evicts him, but he helps her through the jungle of organising tradesmen and materials. In the process, she meets construction brigadier Herbert Kotbuß, clashes with him - and impresses him. Karoline struggles through, the money runs out, she even has to sell her car, and in the end the house is still pretty much a patchwork. But she has realised her ambition for herself - a new independent life begins.

Sister Agnes helps in all situations and does not only make friends. She has just fallen out with the new mayor. The consequences leave an entire community upside down.

Irene Klaussen, a brilliant, tomboyish Berlin student, falls for new classmate Peter Lemke. To prove herself, she follows him, first to a school dance in a borrowed gown, then to a year’s stint on a remote oil‐plant construction in Granow. Ostracized at first, she wins respect under FDJ secretary Anton by mastering every trade and helping him study for engineering school. After returning to Berlin, she discovers Peter’s infidelity and, disillusioned, goes back to Granow, finding true partnership and purpose with Anton.

Comedy drama about one of life's perennial losers who finally strikes it lucky with a beautiful woman, but not before experiencing the usual seemingly endless pitfalls.

A young man who disappears from home for a while returns as his own (deceased) brother and encounters a strange world that should be familiar to him.