The movie consist of 13 separate episodes each handling a period between 1960 and 1970. The length of these periods varies from one day to some years. It tells the story of a group of people in Munich (mostly music and film students). Every episode focuses on a different character from the group, although the main storyline and character, the young composer Hermann, continues. The movie tells a story in many different levels about love, friendship, misfortune, loss, art, politics, history with important historic events of the decennium in the background. It was the most costly and ambitious drama production in German television, although very cinematographic. Believed to be partly autobiographic.