The marriage of Katrin and Richard Lot has become a routine. She has a career and he, as a Marine officer, comes home only once every fourteen days. The children greet him with joy, but she greets him only with anxiety because their marriage is missing its key: love. She wants a divorce, but he refuses mainly out of comfort as well as due to remarks from the party. Katrin finds a strange solution. She shoplifts and is put on probation for three months. This is enough to force Richard into a divorce, because he is concerned about the "moral liability" of his wife. Katrin gets her way and is promised custody of her children. Because of her thievery, she can no longer be a teacher, but at least she is free and doesn't need to live a lie anymore.