Hurra, die Schule brennt

Dr. Peter Bach, a young and excellent teacher, is mistakenly transferred to the village of Tuttelbach to teach at the local elementary school. He quickly grows fond of the easy and picturesque village life and is reluctant to leave.

The head of the Education Ministry, von Schnorr, arrives to correct the mistaken transfer. He discovers Bach is unwilling to leave Tuttelbach because he has come to enjoy the simple village life.

Despite the correction attempt, Bach has grown attached to the peaceful life in Tuttelbach and resists moving to a new assignment. He appreciates the laid-back atmosphere and sense of belonging.

In a reckless moment, von Schnorr drops his burning cigar into the schoolroom waste basket, igniting a fire. The blaze quickly consumes the building, destroying the Tuttelbach school.

Bach and his nephew Jan relocate to Baden-Baden after the fire. In Baden-Baden, Bach is assigned to the notorious Class 12a at the Mommsen-Gymnasium, marking a new chapter in his teaching career.

Pepe Nietnagel and his classmates greet their new teacher with little enthusiasm at first. Bach's easy-going and frank personality soon earns their genuine sympathy and support.

Oberstudiendirektor Dr. Taft, a traditionalist, disapproves of Bach's teaching approach. Along with the majority of the teaching staff, he schemes to get rid of Bach as quickly as possible.

The teaching staff considers removing Bach, but not all agree. Julia Schumann, the young music teacher, does not join the majority, signaling a rift within the faculty.

Pepe and his friends learn of the plan to remove Bach and fight to keep him at their school. Their defense of Bach highlights the teacher’s growing influence on the students.

To show their loyalty, Bach and the students stage a school play presenting a liberal reinterpretation of Schiller's William Tell. The performance becomes a defiant statement against the administration’s plan.

Kurt Nietnagel, Pepe's father, invites Dr. Taft to attend the christening and maiden flight of a new glider at Nietnagel's glider club. The invitation sets the stage for a climactic shared experience.

During the christening flight, Taft and Bach end up piloting the glider by accident. The moment culminates in a parachute dive back to the ground, with both men landing safely.