Alfred Wellm

World War II is over and Heinrich, a young German boy, influenced by the Russians, starts to act according to Communist principles in a small German village.

Irka and Raya are best friends, one always knows immediately what the other wants. Irka is young, lively and a girl, Raya is old, blind and a proud mare who had great times as a show horse. The two are inseparable. But when Raya has a foal, Irka turns her attention to the small, helpless and cute animal. Her father had actually promised that she could keep both horses. One day, however, he tells her that she has to part with one of the horses. Irka has to decide for herself: The cute foal or the old mare?

Shortly before his retirement, Gustav Wanzka wants to return to his beloved profession as a teacher after years of working as a district school inspector. As soon as he arrives at the station, he meets the boy Norbert Kniep, his future pupil, who clearly surprises him with his questions. He wants to encourage the pupil, who is considered uncomfortable to the teachers but is very gifted in mathematics. With his highly personal views on educational goals, Wanzka stands in stark contrast to his teaching staff. Any innovations and even positive conflicts are nipped in the bud, and thus the pupils are ultimately educated to mediocrity.

Eleven-year-old Kaule lives with his aunt in Hinrichsfelde, a small village located in Mecklenburg. The smart and animated boy constantly comes up with plans that are supposed to help others. Since they usually go awry, however, most of the time his fellow men have a hard time appreciating these plans. Things get even worse when Kaule meets Karola, a girl who is new in the village.