1937 in Vienna. The young Carola Hell, a promising actress at the Theater an der Josefstadt, and the Jewish writer Martin Hoffmann ignore the signs of the times for a considerable while. Only when Hitler marches into Austria on March 11th 1938 do the two lovers decide to flee to Prague. Carola, who has meanwhile become pregnant, is granted permission to leave the country, but Martin is refused. While Carola arrives safely in Prague, Martin negotiates with a trafficker who wants to get him across the Czech border. Again hopeful, Martin walks through Vienna, straight into the army of two SS soldiers.