As the illegitimate daughter of a seamstress Young Catherine Simon has no rosy future prospects. But in the single-minded woman slumber unsuspected talents. At 17, she made her debut with unexpected success as an actress at the Berlin Lessing Theatre. The world is at her feet and dreams start to jell as the prominent artist Max Kruse meets at the premiere party. The two became a pair, but the newly divorced sculptor is not ready to marry again, not even as Käthe is expecting a child by him. Although, without a marriage certificate they spend two happy years together, but her illegitimate cohabitation does not correspond to the morals of the fine Berlin society. Then destiny knocks again to her door when she starts making rag dolls for her daughters.