Post-war Berlin: The city is in ruins, but people start to enjoy life again. The young architect Ilse has a dream. She wants to rebuild the city, especially housing for the workers. She sees her big chance in entering the competition for the construction of the apartment buildings along side the grand Karl- Marx-Allee. She is the only woman. To her great surprise, her plans are selected. But her husband blackmails Ilse and claims the designs as his own. Disappointed, she makes a difficult decision. She does not accept this in justice and fights for an independ ent life and the right man at her side.