Korbinian Leitner is embittered after the death of his son and sees no future for his farm. His daughter Bärbl would like to inherit it. However, Korbinian does not want to pass the farm on to a woman. The planned highway connection for the village seems to offer him a way out, as his land would fetch a good price as building land. Bärbl, on the other hand, joins the protest movement against the highway construction. At a demonstration, she meets the sawmill owner Leo Burger. The two fall in love with each other, unaware that their families are connected by a dark secret.