The time is hard after war, but hunger and privations belong to the past of Ursula Gothe. Her husband Richard, an engeneer, offers her a life in luxury. Ursula has a little son called Helmut, for whom she cares. But her life becomes unsettled when she finds the announce of a girl.
"Suchkind 312" is her daughter Martina from whose Ursula had been separated during their escape seven years ago. Ursula has believed that her daughter was dead. That´s why she has not said anything about her daughter to Richard yet; he does not know that Ursula already had a child with dead officer Achim Lenau, who dies in Russia. But know she wants to see her daughter, even if she has to put her marriage on the line.
When she talks to Richard, he does not understand her. Richard wants to get a carriage in the next time and so he wants to save face in front of his chief Lohmann. So he makes Ursula to do nothing.
First when his sister Johanna toalks to him, Richard is poised to adopt the child. Cuades by another woman who believes that MArtina is her child, the question of motherhood has to be cleared by court. In this difficult situation, the reputed to be dead Achim comes back from russian war captivity.