It is the year 1944, and six-year-old Marie lives with her mother, father and brother in Baden-Baden, a spa town in the German Black Forest. Her home town has not been bombed and her father, an orchestra musician, has not yet left to fight in the war as German musicians were told to stay at home to keep up the people's spirits.But tragedy strikes in late 1944 as Marie s father is sent to fight the Russians, and she is forced to move in with her grandmother, a pub owner in Eastern Germany. Marie becomes best friends with the girl next door and it is through their friendship that Marie is able to get through scary and uncertain times.Together with her friends, Marie learns just how valuable true friendship is.