The young, religious Dr. Francoise Maurer comes from Alsace in "Good Hope" Sanatorium and plans after a short time to leave the sanatorium and go to Indochina to help out in a hospital for the poorest ones.
When seminarian Martin Rufmann arrives in St. Eustachen, idyllically located in the Carinthian mountains, the local choral society is celebrating a joyous festival. Martin is the youngest son of the widowed head forester Thomas Rufmann. Martin's older brother Friedolin has inherited his father's love of hunting and is one of the best hunters in the area. He is also engaged to the pretty innkeeper's daughter Helene Schwarzaug. At the feast, Friedolin and his cronies drink heavily to the black liquor of the charcoal burner Krauthaas. Friedolin and the townspeople Günther have a loud argument in front of everyone. When Günther is found murdered a short time later, suspicion immediately falls on Friedolin. To save his brother, Martin accuses himself of the crime. The two brothers are arrested. The real culprit soon turns himself in, but in the meantime Thomas Rufmann has disappeared without a trace.
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.
Despite their social differences Luise, called Pünktchen, a girl from rich parentage befriends Anton, a boy who has to earn his own money in order to afford life for his sick mother and himself. Together they undergo different adventures, even preventing a theft in Pünktchens home
A smugglers gang is active on the Austrian-Swiss border. Until now, no one has come to their attention. But one day a little girl gets seriously ill and needs medical attention; the young operator will forget that he has to be careful and calls for help through the secret channel.
A long time-span of Austrian history (from the late 19th century to the years after world war II) is reflected in the ups and downs of a family of piano-makers in Vienna.
