Peter, a young, bankrupt homeowner, wants to sell his house and move in with his aunt Agathe in the countryside. In the meantime, his friend Albert and his niece Inge are supposed to guard the house. When he learns that the three crooks Boxer-Franz, Taschen-August, and Klau-Maxe are already living there, he breaks into his own house, where he encounters the three burglars, who mistake him for a "colleague." The crooks expect him to pretend to be the homeowner and want to keep the proceeds for themselves.

The Petermann family decides to take a family vacation to the sunny south. The Petermanns are grandfather, father Max, mother Biggi, children Stupsi, son Andy, and pretty Monika, Max Petermann's sister. They rent a speedy sled because Max Petermann has just gotten his driver's license. Not only are there various starting difficulties due to a lack of driving experience, but there is also a special case with the car: hidden deep in the upholstery are secret documents that a trio of gangsters are trying to smuggle abroad. A mix-up of the license plates causes some turbulence. Willi Polz is assigned by the trio to keep an eye on the Petermanns in order to secure the documents at the right opportunity. Of course, something always gets in the way on the trip to Bella Italia. The fact that Willi falls in love with the blonde Monika is the least surprising thing. But the grandfather's actions are the real sensation.

Through a cleverly deceptive maneuver, a theater ensemble attempts to prevent the sale of its small theater to a shady profiteer. Numerous misunderstandings and mix-ups arise, culminating in a fake wedding night...

At the end of January 1889, Crown Prince Rudolf is found dead. The Court tries to hush up the affair.

After a truck carrying a cargo of narcotics is held up by rival smugglers, the driver sets out to prove his innocence.

After their circus goes bankrupt, old clown Pipo, trick rider Cora, and little Silvio are left penniless. They can't even afford to feed the animals they have left. Reporter Conny Meister immediately senses a touching story. Dairy owner Runkelmann, on the other hand, wants to take advantage of the circus's plight and buy up the land for a factory. However, he didn't count on the commitment of the neighborhood children.

Oberst Alfred Redl heads the military intelligence department of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Frequent letters from the Russian Empire, however, make him suspect of sharing his knowledge with unauthorized authorities.

The sensitive Austrian Crown Prince Rudolf is suffering from his marriage, dictated by his father, Emperor Franz Joseph, and the strict court etiquette. He meets a kindred spirit in the very young Baroness Mary Vetsera.

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.

The proud grandfather, retired General Count Hardberg, had actually already announced to his comrades that he would be the heir, but the grandson had become a granddaughter. Years later, Antonia had grown into a pretty but vivacious young woman. When the famous Kaiserjäger moved into their quarters at the castle, the cheeky countess had a bit of fun and slipped into her father's uniform. As Cadet Anton, she went along on maneuvers and drove her commander, First Lieutenant Pacher, to despair with her lack of discipline. But when Pacher noticed what an enchanting creature was hiding behind the cadet uniform, his heart was smitten...

Austria, Bad Ischl: The young Princess Christine and the Imperial Count of Hohenegg are supposed to meet at the annual Imperial Ball before their planned engagement. But things turn out differently than expected: Christine falls in love with Count Baranyi, and her future husband falls in love with the seamstress Franzi, who is mistaken for a countess at the wrong moment...

Peter Keller is hired as a butler by the wealthy Pirkner couple to teach them good manners, which leads to all sorts of complications.

A romantic melodrama set in 19th-century Russia: magnificent uniforms, dashing officers, glittering balls. A young woman, unhappily married to an aging count, who is passionately in love with another man, must stand trial on charges of murder after her husband commits suicide.