Germany after the Second World War, collapse and liberation. While her husband fights at the Eastern front, young Kati Zeiler has to take care of their small barbershop and of their daughter Marie alone. After their apartment is destroyed in an air raid, kati moves to the countryside where she gives birth to her second daughter. After the war, Kati goes through a demoralizing time of waiting for her husband who is missing in action in Russia. She ekes out a living as a "Truemmerfrau" (Woman of rubble) and works as a streetcar conductor. At the station where the homecoming soldiers arrive he get to know Hans who claims to have known her husband and who is obviously very interested in her. Her early disapproval and mistrust eventually change into a deep love to Hans. He begins to be a aprt of Katis family, a part of her life. But suddenly one evening Katis husbands is standing in the doorway, and Kati has to make a difficult decision.