Transit plot
1940. Gerhardt escapes from a camp in Germany and flees to occupied Paris with a letter of recommendation to the writer Weidel. When he arrived at his address, he was found to be dead. He is given his papers and manuscripts so that he can run away as Weidel. He goes to Marseille, from where passage to the US or South America is possible. Gathering the necessary travel documents and visas is no easy task. He meets the attractive Marie with whom he starts a relationship. She turns out to be Weidel's girlfriend. She believes she will meet him soon, now that Gerhardt is busy arranging the papers for Weidel. Gerhardt eventually manages to get all the necessary documents and passage tickets together, but does not want to break Marie's illusion (about Weidel). He lets her leave alone.