Part 1: Hope Bridges Adams has an English father and a German mother. After her father's death, she and her mother return from England to Germany to live with relatives in Leipzig. Hope wants to study medicine, which at the time - 1870s - is only allowed to men, and faculty head von Arnstetten sees no need to change the rules. But Hope insists on being allowed not only to study, but also pass an exam - seeking help from the Empress, when all else fails. She marries Otto, whom she met in a liberal circle around Clara Eißner (later Zetkin) at University, and they move to Frankfurt to take over Otto's father's patients. Hope is especially interested in the living conditions of the working class and in infectious diseases, foremost tuberculosis. When she falls ill herself, she retreats to a farm in the Alps to try new cures for tuberculosis on herself. Being successful, she persuades her husband to open a tuberculosis clinic in the farmhouse. University acquaintance Carl Lehmann, a Social democrat who has spent time in prison for his political activities, comes to work at the clinic. It is soon evident that Carl has feelings for Hope.
Part 2: Hope leaves her husband and small daughter to accompany Carl to Munich. They get married and start a doctor's practice together. Hope now starts to specialize in gynaecology and is not afraid to conduct abortions if a woman is malnourished or has too many mouths to feed already. She publishes articles about women's medical needs and finally writes a thick volume giving advice on women's hygiene, illnesses and even contraception. She also wants to found a women's clinic. However, the midwifes' association starts a smear campaign which leads to a pre-trial because of Hope's abortion practice. Although there is no proof that she acted against the law, the funders of the clinic retreat and invest in the women's hospital of Hope's arch enemy, von Arnstetten. shortly after, the First World War starts, Carl volunteers and dies on the front. Soon afterwards, Hope dies, too.
