Georg Brecher, journalist and casual writer, leads a report into the uranium mining of bismuth. Under the impression of hard work underground and the encounter with the mates, Brecher rethinks his previous life. Ulrich Thein's film was created in the context of cultural political balding after the 11th Plenum of the Central Committee of the SED in December 1965, which meant a clear turning point in the youth and cultural policy of the GDR: numerous films, plays, books and music groups banned. The filming of "Columbus 64" also had to be interrupted and it took months for Thein to be let back to the film. Thein's arguments with his film to show the "revolutionary society development" in the GDR did not help, because after completion, his work fell victim to censorship: it was shortened, re-synchronised and offered after a unique broadcast in the GDR.