Everyone is familiar with the world-famous teddy bear produced by the Steiff Company in Swabia. Yet, no-one knows the life story of the “mother” of the Steiff animals. As a small child Margarete Steiff falls ill with polio and is confined to a wheelchair her entire life, in spite of countless painful operations and treatments. The harsh conditions at the end of the 19th century instill little hope for a fulfilling life in the crippled young woman. With the help of her unbelievable willpower, creativity and joy of life and that of her beloved brother Fritz, she manages to get a secondary school education. She learns to sew and opens her own small business. Her love of children pushes her to produce the first “soft toys” – which will later become a world known brand – the Steiff animals. An entrepreneurial success story begins. Whether Margarete will ever be lucky in her private life however, remains a mystery for quite a long time.