1931: Daily life in Berlin, battered by the economic crisis, is tough. Fine's mother, Ulla Dehmel, struggles to care for her children. Eventually, she is forced to place Fine and her siblings with a foster family in the countryside. At first, Fine is horrified at having to leave Berlin, but gradually she comes to terms with her new life. Then the Nazis come to power, and it becomes clear that Ulla's concerns for her half-Jewish children were justified. Soon, Fine's Jewish heritage becomes a curse and threatens to destroy her great love.