Paula Schultz, a leading East German athlete preparing to take part in the Olympic Games, rebels at the dowdy uniform she is supposed to wear and instead models her own miniskirt. Instead of punishing her, Propaganda Minister Klaus makes her his special aide in the hope of setting her up in his luxury apartment. To escape his lechery, she defects to the West by pole-vaulting over the Berlin Wall. Bill Mason, a black marketeer with his own contacts in East Berlin, agrees to assist the Communists in getting her back in exchange for money to pay a debt. Bill hides her in the home of Herbert Sweeney, an old Army friend now with the CIA, planning to turn her over to the East Germans the following morning; but he falls in love with Paula and at the last minute reneges on the deal. Still fond of money, though, Bill tries to set up a deal whereby the CIA will pay him for Paula's defection. When Paula learns how he intends to use her, she refuses asylum and sadly returns with Klaus and his agents to the East. Intent on making amends, Bill uses a secret underground entrance to East Berlin and disguises himself as a female athlete to get near Paula. Paula realizes she is in love with Bill, and the two escape to the West.