The year is 1913 and young Paula von Dahlen lives in Berlin. Suddenly, he receives a yellowed photograph from German East Africa from his mother's estate. Does it capture the image of the father she never knew? Paula bravely ventures to the port city of Tanga, following the footsteps of an ancient painting. The journey will take her to Kilimanjaro and later to the island of Zanzibar. A journalist helps her in her search, and mutual sympathy grows into love. But war breaks out in Europe and Tom gets involved in armed fighting. So Paula has no choice but to make up her own mind...