Hans Epp is a fruit vendor in post-war Germany who struggles with his own sense of failure and dissatisfaction. Coming from a lower middle-class family, he feels the weight of family expectations and personal inadequacies. His wife, Irmgard, is increasingly disillusioned with him, and their relationship grows strained. Hans's strained relationship with his overly critical mother and siblings adds to his sense of worthlessness. Throughout his daily grind, Hans is haunted by his past—specifically his failed career in the Foreign Legion and the emotional scars it left behind. He turns to alcohol as a means of escape, which only exacerbates his troubles and further isolates him from his family.

As Hans's business begins to falter, so does his mental state. The pressure and lack of support drive him to extreme measures in an attempt to regain control over his life and business. His interactions with others, filled with both aggressive outbursts and quiet desperation, underscore a man at the brink of collapse. Meanwhile, Irmgard starts making her own plans, reflecting her own shift in focus away from her husband’s failing endeavors. As tension mounts, the family dynamics shift, revealing underlying issues of love, betrayal, and survival in a rapidly changing society.