Village chronicle in four seasons about the inhabitants of the East German village of Groß Lüben. The village, located in the former GDR, lies close to the Elbe River, which for more than forty years symbolized the division between East and West. As the four seasons pass, the villagers give a picture of their lives after the end of the Second World War and in the first years following the reunification. While Mr. Heusman lost his land and home through forced collectivization, Mr. and Mrs. Kloss achieved modest prosperity thanks to the collective farm. The dividing line between the winners and losers of the reunification still runs through the village today.