Der geteilte Himmel

After a nervous crisis, Rita Seidel returns to the small village where she grew up. The period of recovery is combined with a look back at the past years: as a young girl, she fell in love with Manfred Herrfurth, a chemist ten years her senior. He takes her to the city, encourages her development. She begins to study to be a teacher. Their relationship, however, is subject to strains. There are conflicts in Manfred's home because of his parents' stuffy attitude to life. He also has difficulties at work, so that his attitude towards himself and his environment becomes increasingly cynical.