Die Kleinen und die Bösen plot
Hotte is a petty criminal who has been released on parole. He has two children that he doesn't want to know. But when his mother dies, he regains custody of the two, which he isn't particularly excited about. But he could really use the accompanying child allowance. The only one who wants to thwart him is Benno, who is convinced that Hotte does not have the attitude to be a good father. When shortly afterwards son Dennis dies in a fatal accident, Benno feels that he was right. He blames Hotte and does everything he can to send him back to prison.