A politically naive Viennese butcher (Bockerer) manages to survive the Nazi occupation of Austria and the second world war.

Andreas, who is ten, has been brought up by his grandmother. When she dies, he removes a putto from the crucifix placed upon her, puts it in his mouth and does not speak again. The attempts by adults to make a normal child out of him only cause him to flee deeper into his fantasy world - a village of snow. At its center is a snowman with whom Andreas converses.

Both have families, both are gripped by a perilous passion. Simon, school professor, and Helga, wife of a successful internist, get to know each other on their daily journey to kindergarten. They fall in love, but how should it go on?