A classic melodrama about the famous pianist Thomas Dahlhoff.
The station-master Fabian Bom is a very meticulous person, and he makes sure that the trains leaves exactly - on the second. To him, nothing could be more important than duty, efficiency and punctuality, in fact, his sense of duty is clearly perverted. His beloved Plum-Plum, the major's daughter, is infatuated with army officers. To regain her attention, he joins the infantry. Bom becomes a soldier who loves the military training, long marches as well as hard labour as punishment. He meets Agnes, who falls madly in love with him.
Two twins, separated at birth, meet again by chance many years later. One is a progressive but insensitive mayor of a small town, the other a clown at a circus.
