Die Ratten

In the organizer's words:

In a tenement block, the waves of the artistically ambitious bourgeoisie and the precarious milieu of the working class collide. For while the former are looking for authentic drama on stage, the latter have to cope with existential tragedies in life: Jette John, who keeps the theater fund in the attic in order, lost her newborn child years ago and longs for a family. Since she doesn't get pregnant, she takes advantage of the plight of Pauline Piperkarcka, a maid who has become a mother unintentionally, buys the child from her and passes it off as her own in front of her husband. But Pauline soon wants her child back and won't let up, even involving the authorities.

To defend her dream of happiness against the threat of reality, Mrs. John finally resorts to violence. In a panic, she sets her brother, who has a criminal record, on Pauline. The blackmail attempt ends fatally. Reality catches up with art. Even before the young drama student from the attic can bring the social drama to the stage, it has already taken place on the ground a few floors below.