The German couple Anna and Robert Zodinger have fled from Germany from the Nazis and have found refuge in Switzerland. For Robert Zodinger, a former editor, an extradition to Germany would be like a certain death sentence or admission to a concentration camp. The two find protection from the old Webherrn Stutz, who supports them despite the open hostility of his son-in-law Hilber. To make ends meet, Anna works as a waitress while she and her husband have to stay on guard constantly.