Plot Summary

Gretl has been living in Vienna ever since her father, Klaghofer, a small general store owner, tried to marry her off against her will to the wealthy Gruber farmer. Her disgruntled father never opened a single one of her letters. A postcard tells him that Gretl has married—and, he mistakenly assumes, to a rich man. Klaghofer sets out to celebrate the reconciliation. But as soon as he leaves his provincial Austrian hometown and arrives in Vienna, Klaghofer causes utter chaos. In the process, he repairs a troubled marriage and is delighted at the happy ending for everyone involved.