Synopsis
Ruth Weinstein (JUTTA LAMPE), a New York woman, has just buried her husband. In her grief she ponders her orthodox Jewish religion, and arranges a 30-day mourning period for the whole family. What is more, she disapproves of the marriage of her daughter, Hannah (MARIA SCHRADER), to the South American Luis (FEDJA VAN Her). Hannah has no idea what could be causing this obstinate behaviour. In order to find out why her mother is behaving so strangely, Hannah makes her way to Berlin to Look for clues. There she gets in touch with the now 90-year-old Lena Fischer (DORIS SCHADE), who finally breaks the wall of silence.As a young woman, Lena Fischer (KATJA RIEMANN) had come across the little girl called Ruth in a street in Berlin by the name of Rosenstrasse. This was the place where, in 1943, hundreds of women had gathered to demonstrate against the deportation of their Jewish husbands, who were imprisoned there at the Jewish Welfare Office. Lena was looking for her husband Fabian (MARTIN FEIFEL), and Ruth for her mother. After a despairing struggle with the National Socialist authorities in which Lena's brother Arthur JÜRGEN VOGEL), an astonished army officer, also became involved, the incredible actually happens.
The prison gates open and, like many other women, Lena is indeed able to embrace her beloved husband once again. But Ruth's mother remains missing, and so Lena takes little Ruth under her wing, thus saving her life amongst the turmoil of the last few years of the war...
