August 1961: To earn a bit of West German money, East Berlin "plaselayer" Hans Kuhlke smuggles scrap metal to his friend Erwin Sawatzke in West Berlin. One evening, he and his wife are invited to the Sawatzkes' house. Meanwhile, their son Paul stays with a friend in East Berlin. On this summer night, the political situation in Berlin comes to a dramatic head: the borders are closed and the construction of the Wall is initiated. The disappearance of his parents leaves 14-year-old pioneer Paul tor...