Plot
The film starts in Germany in 1943. During an Allied bombing raid Maria (Hanna Schygulla) marries the soldier Hermann Braun (Klaus Löwitsch). After "half a day and a whole night" together, Hermann returns to the front. Postwar, Maria is told that Hermann has been killed. Maria starts work as a hostess in a bar frequented by American soldiers. She has a relationship with an African-American soldier Bill (George Byrd), who supports her and gives her nylon stockings and cigarettes. She becomes pregnant by Bill.
Hermann, who was not killed, returns home to discover Maria and Bill undressing each other. A fight between Hermann and Bill ensues. When Hermann seems in danger Maria unintentionally kills Bill striking his head with a full bottle. Maria is tried by a military tribune, and expresses her love for both Bill and Hermann - Hermann is so struck with Maria's devotion that he takes the blame for the killing and is imprisoned. Maria likely aborts her pregnancy and asks her doctor promise to maintain the grave. On the train home, Maria catches the eye of a wealthy industrialist, Karl Oswald (Ivan Desny). Oswald, an older man, offers her a position as his assistant, and shortly thereafter Maria becomes his mistress to "maintain the upper hand". Maria visits Hermann again and tells him about the development, promising that their life will start as soon as he is released. Maria becomes wealthy and buys a house.
Oswald visits Hermann and offers to make him and Maria heirs to his wealth if Hermann deserts Maria after his release. Neither man tells Maria of their agreement. On release, Hermann emigrates to Canada and sends Maria a red rose each month to remind her he still loves her. Following Oswald's death Hermann returns to Germany and to Maria. When Oswald's will is read by the executor Senkenberg (Hark Bohm) Maria hears about Oswald's agreement with Hermann. Distressed, Maria lights a cigarette and dies when the gas explodes. She had left the gas knob turned on from lighting a previous cigarette.
Read more about this topic: The Marriage Of Maria Braun
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“There saw I how the secret felon wrought,
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“We have defined a story as a narrative of events arranged in their time-sequence. A plot is also a narrative of events, the emphasis falling on causality. “The king died and then the queen died” is a story. “The king died, and then the queen died of grief” is a plot. The time sequence is preserved, but the sense of causality overshadows it.”
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—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)