A young woman named Karin Schröder studied biophysics in Moscow and has now returned to the GDR with her diploma. She is thirsty for action, eager to work and now wants to put her specialized knowledge into practice. But at Professor Angerer's institute, where she ends up, there are no opportunities to apply her knowledge. Although Angerer shows her a safe route up the career ladder, Karin sees this more as a means of keeping her quiet - so she turns down the offer. On her own initiative, she goes in search of allies in order to find her way after all. Angerer then instructs her to abandon her self-initiated work - which leads to both professional and personal disaster for the young woman.