She's tough, isn't afraid of conflict, and stands on her own two feet: Katharina Nielsen works as the principal of the Winden school. She never thought she wanted children of her own, but ends up having three: Magnus, Martha, and Mikkel.
In November 2019, Katharina's world falls apart. First, her youngest son Mikkel vanishes. A few days later she discovers that her husband Ulrich has been having an affair with her childhood friend Hannah Kahnwald. Shortly thereafter, Ulrich also disappears.
Love and intrigue
Hannah has fawned over Ulrich since 1986, but he has always been dating Katharina. Hannah tries to separate the young couple by telling policeman Egon Tiedemann that Ulrich raped Katharina. Egon already had it out for Ulrich and is quick to have him arrested. Katharina emphatically denies the accusations and Ulrich is released soon after.
In 2019, Ulrich ends up having an affair with Hannah. Katharina finds out from a hair on Ulrich's clothing and a look through his cell phone bill. She confronts Ulrich about it, but he can't admit to it. Hannah, in turn, responds with a lie. She says that she broke things off, when in reality it was the other way around.
The worst enemy
Regina Tiedemann and Katharina Nielsen cannot stand one another. They have a long history. As teenagers, Ulrich and Katharina tied Regina to a tree one night. The couple thought it was funny, but Regina was traumatized.
Ulrich and Katharina assume Regina is the one responsible for the rape accusations. In the forest, the couple violently threaten her. A young man they don't recognize shows up with a gun and drives the attackers away. The man is Aleksander, Regina's future husband.