erni (marlene dietrich), the daughter of a wealthy industrialist göttlinger (fritz alberti) falls for a pickpocket fredl (willi forst), but fredl prefers hansi (nina vanna), a prostitute at the café elektric. max (igo sym) who is a göttlinger architect, loves erni, until he discovers her relationship with fredl. recuperating at the café elektric, max falls in love with hansi. göttlinger also liked hansi, so he fired max. max now lives in need with reformed hansi, but leaves her when he suspects she has returned to prostitution. at the café elektric fredl stabs hansi. max now is a reporter who covers the story. since hansi is innocent, they reunite.