Lily Karstenová is the daughter of one of the most successful shipping families in Hamburg. She lives in a villa in Bellevue, dreams of becoming a writer, and thinks she loves her fiancé Henry.

One hot summer day in 1886, she is giving a celebratory speech at the christening of a new ship, when a sudden gust of wind blows her hat off her head and carries it into the Elbe. One of the dock workers has to save him - but he has a terrible accident in the water.

Jo Bolten lived as a child in the Altstädter Gängeviertel slum, now works at the port for Ludwig Oolkert, the most influential businessman in the city. Jo wants to ask the Karsten's for help for his injured friend, but is coldly turned down.

However, there is still Lily, who wants to help at all costs! So Jo takes her into his world, in which everything is subordinated to the daily struggle for survival. Lily sees the misery of people with her own eyes and begins to understand that there is inequality between men and women.

Lily and Jo soon become close. But their relationship has no future. And Jo has a secret that Lily must never know...