Neustadt an der Bille, near the global city of Hamburg, during the 1950s and 60s. Here, the world seems to be in order at first glance. But appearances can be deceiving. School strikes, the Beatles' visit to Tremsbüttel, the revolutionary pop culture, and the resistance against the establishment are now also making their way into the northern German province. The dedicated school principal Traugott Busch is a fighter for progress and enlightenment. He is pushing for the construction of a new municipal high school and educational reforms. However, Busch does not win everyone over. In the end, he becomes vulnerable and turns into a tragic figure. The 60s are more than just the APO, Rudi Dutschke, the Vietnam War, and group sex - this becomes clear to the city chronicler, who is woven into the narrative of the novel. And he is not wrong. Breathlessly, the reader follows his protagonists on their journey.