The Rössler File

The rain pounds against the large windows of Damian's office. Berlin lies gray and blurry beneath him. From up here, the city almost seems calm. Damian sits behind his desk, working through the applications for the advertised internship position. One after another. Until one application catches his attention. Tatjana Rössler. Economics and Psychology. Degree completed. Damian reads on. At first glance, the application seems unremarkable. No recommendation from a well-known company, no famous family name, no connections that could open doors for her. He turns to the next page. Then he pauses. The information about her current living situation doesn't match her resume. Despite difficult family circumstances, she has completed her degree and apparently taken on responsibility for her family at the same time. Damian leans back. That's unusual.

The story takes place in present-day Berlin, a city full of contrasts. Modern high-rises, luxurious apartments, and successful companies stand alongside old tenement buildings, cramped apartments, and neighborhoods where people struggle with financial problems. Damian Wolfram belongs to the privileged side of the city. As CFO of a successful company, he lives in a luxurious penthouse with a view of the Berlin skyline. He comes from a wealthy family, but behind his wealth lie family pressure and the control of his father, Ludwig Wolfram. Damian tries to break free from his influence both professionally and personally. Tatjana Rössler lives under completely different conditions. She lives with her siblings in an old, run-down tenement building. Her mother is a heroin addict, her father an alcoholic and violent. Despite these circumstances, Tatjana takes responsibility for her siblings and tries to provide them with a stable life.