German troops are at the gates of Paris. Georg, a German refugee, escapes to Marseille at the last moment. He carries with him the belongings of the writer Weidel, who has taken his own life: a manuscript, letters, and a promise of a visa from the Mexican embassy. In Marseille, only those who can prove they will leave are allowed to stay. Visas for potential host countries are needed, transit visas, and the rare tickets for passage on ships. Georg remembers Weidel's papers and assumes his identity. He immerses himself in the precarious existence of transit.