Krauses Hoffnung (2019)

Former Chief Police Officer Horst Krause is on his way home when a fire engine overtakes him. There is a fire in the kitchen of his inn because his sister Elsa, who has become somewhat forgetful, left a pan on the stove. Elsa has also forgotten that Krause’s best friend, Rolf-Dieter Schlunzke, died after falling from a ladder while doing repair work on a roof, and whom her sister Meta is married to. She can no longer cook for the inn. Krause is very worried and realizes the inn urgently needs help, but still refuses to hire the young cook Paula because he does not want to take on the extra responsibility of looking after her young son. Finally, he brings his sister Meta and her husband Rudi, whom Krause cannot stand, to Schönhorst, where the family is to discuss their future. On its first outing, Rudi accidentally wrecks Krause’s motorcycle. Then Meta has an idea: to take her brother’s mind off things, she suggests that the three siblings travel by motorhome to their old home in Pomerania. After some hesitation, Krause agrees. When they arrive in their old village, Elsa meets their former neighbor, Lubo Kaczmarek, her childhood friend, and the old love between them flares up again. When they return, it becomes clear why Meta suggested the trip: Rudi has meanwhile offered the inn for lease, and work on opening a Greek restaurant is well underway. Furious, Krause drives off in Rudi’s motorhome and ends up at a campsite, where he meets Paula again. She has found a place there with her son Timo, filling in for the kitchen assistant. Krause changes his mind and now offers her the job at his inn after all. Paula accepts, and he drives home with her and Timo. Elsa and Paula are now jointly responsible for the kitchen, Krause befriends little Timo, and he even manages to work with Rudi from time to time. When Timo complains that he is bored because there isn’t even a cinema here, Rudi has an idea and organizes an outdoor movie night, which everyone greatly enjoys. Meanwhile, Krause has brought himself to use the internet with Rudi’s help to track down Elsa’s friend, Lubo Kaczmarek, in Poland. Not long afterward, Lubo appears in front of Elsa with a suitcase in his hand, ready to stay in Schönhorst.