Wege in Die Nacht/Paths in The Night concerns Walter (Hilmar Thate), a middle-aged man who suddenly finds himself out of a job. While his wife has a job as a waitress and they have no children to support, the loss of his position is still a crushing blow for Walter. He finds himself wandering the city streets at night, trying to find something to do that will give his life some sense of purpose. He strikes up a friendship with a cynical young couple, and later, in hopes of regaining the respect of his wife, he tries to steal an expensive piece of jewelry for her.