The story beginns on 24 October 1962, at the height of the Cuban missile crisis. The Second World War with its hardships and bombs, the Nazi occupation and the collaborators, is still on people's mind. In 1962, everyone is afraid of the communists, the devil and the next world war. Priests reign supreme over those who attend church and those who do not.
The story is told from the point of view of the 12-year old Norbi Welscheid, who lives in a small industrial town typical of the south of Luxembourg. His father owns a shop where he sells books and stationery, as well as religious articles. In the year 1962, Norbi will have to face the mysteries of sexuality and the war, subjects that are beyond his comprehension since it was not considered necessary in those days to explain them to children.
However, when the film starts, Norbi has other mysteries to solve. What does 'P' stand for, a letter his father regularly notes in his diary? Who killed the man in the Rue des Hauts-Fourneaux? Why is his father checking so closely on Norbis sister? Why, one fine day, is the letter 'P' missing from the luminous sign hanging over his fathers shop? And why does Norbi continue to wet his bed?
And then there is school. In Norbis class, the boss is Aloyse. Aloyse is bigger, stronger and older than all the other pupils. The teacher, Mr. Treines imposes his authority by slapping his pupils and inflicting other forms of punishment. He is only interested in those who are likely to pass the entrance examination for secondary school. Norbi is one of them, but not Aloyse. This is why Aloyse feels such scorn for Norbi, until the day the latter shows him how to steal sweets from the grocer. From that moment, they are the best of friends. Aloyse is convinced that Mr. Pinato, the Italian tenant of the Welscheid family, is the Rue des Hauts-Fourneaux murderer.
Norbi also gets to know Fred better. Fred scares him a little because he talks about Nazis, deserters, ferrymen and, above all, the Gielemännchen (collaborators), words that frighten Norbi because he does not know what they mean.
The friendship between Norbi and Aloyse comes to an end when Aloyse tries to steal a toy from the shop owned by Norbis father. Norbi disowns his friend, who in turn refuses to forgive him. And then one day, Fred thinks he has discovered the identity of 'P' marked in the fathers diary. He asks Norbi to help him write the word Gielemännchen on the wall of Mr. Welscheids shop. Norbi has no idea what it is all about but when he writes the word, there is an outcry all over the neighbourhood. For Norbi, time has come to prove he is no longer a child.
The last year at primary school draws to a close. Norbi has learned many things and to his great surprise, his father realises he no longer has the last word at home, whether it is with Norbi himself, Josette or the mother. There seems to be a change in the air
