Vienna Blood (2019) s02e03 Episode Script
Darkness Rising
How many thousands of years
has man been living an illusion?
We live in a world of dreams.
A powerful hallucination.
We turn our backs on the sensory world
into which we have been born
and choose instead to live
in a fantasy.
A fantasy we call religion.
Get him!
Catch the Jew! Come on!
Get him!
Jew boy!
Hey, you! Get away from there!
I'll call the police!
What have they done to you?
- Strobl, have you met my son, Max?
- How do you do?
How do you do?
Strobl is the society's patron.
Ah, of course!
You are the psychoanalyst.
Excuse me.
Oh, good evening,
I'm so glad that you
Everyone still says it
like it's a term of abuse.
What?
The P-word.
Last year it wasn't
in their vocabulary.
Most of them still have trouble
pronouncing it.
I still don't understand
why you wanted to accompany me.
What is it Freud says about religion?
- He calls it infantile.
- Mm. Exactly.
Why would religious relics
be of interest to you
Good evening, Max.
Good evening, Herr Liebermann.
Ladies and gentlemen,
welcome to the Historical Society lecture
generously funded
by my good friend Tobias Strobl.
Tobias has been my closest friend
and my mentor for many years.
And I'm deeply indebted to him
for supporting my private research.
Now, I am delighted to introduce
our speaker for this evening
Brother Stanislav from Heiligenkron Abbey.
Brother Stanislav is renowned in Vienna
for his brilliant, scholarly articles.
And he's here to talk to us all
about the monastery's great store
of religious artefacts
He's a bigot!
A dangerous fanatic!
The only thing that comes out of his pen
is pure poison.
You wrote an article
in the Catholic newspaper.
Do you deny it?
No, indeed. Why should I?
Your writing is filth.
Your mind is filth.
You shouldn't be granted a platform
anywhere in this city!
You would deny our guest
the chance to speak?
I'd deny anyone the opportunity
to stir up hatred.
Vienna has always been
a place of tolerance.
Read what he's written!
This man is a dangerous zealot.
How have I offended you, brother?
I'm not your brother.
I'm a Jew.
You quoted the Church Fathers
in your article.
"The synagogue is a temple of demons
a criminal assembly."
Perhaps we could deal with this matter
privately, gentlemen.
Yesterday, in Leopoldstadt
a young Jewish boy was beaten.
The exact same reference
was scrawled on the wall beside him.
"Demon"!
I hold you responsible.
What have you got to say?
"You do deny the son of God.
How long, poor wretches,
will ye not believe the truth?"
What?
"You are the assassins of Christ,
a den of thieves
a dwelling of iniquity,
a refuge of devils."
You know the sermons?
Very well.
Let me quote the Torah back to you.
"Thou
shall pelt him with stones"
Oh
"and he shall die
for he sought to make you stray
from the Lord your God."
Ladies and gentlemen, please!
Please
Still awake, darling?
How was it, the lecture?
- Not quite what we were expecting.
- Oh?
There was a slight altercation.
At the Historical Society?
I thought it was all stuffy old men
looking at statues of nudes.
Well anyway, goodnight.
Goodnight.
You want a brandy, Max?
Um, no, thank you.
I-I think I'll just go up
Sorry about this evening.
Sure?
Odd chap, that heckler in the crowd.
I know him from the Shul.
He's one of Korngold's brothers.
Isaak.
If what he said about that monk is true
then I think he left with his pride intact.
Not sure the same could be said
for you and me.
Goodnight.
Night.
Who is it?
Brother?
Are you hurt?
Stanislav.
Dear God in heaven
- Haussmann.
- Inspector.
His name is Brother Stanislav,
a young monk.
He's been savagely beaten.
The monk who found him
says he hardly recognised him.
This is the Abbot.
Inspector Rheinhardt,
Leopoldstadt Police.
Father Abbot.
Inspector.
"The Lord our God
will inflict his curses upon us."
Eternal rest to him, O Lord.
He was severely beaten with something.
There is no weapon here,
Inspector.
This is the sacristy
where we keep
our sacred treasures.
Who has access to this room?
Who has a key?
I do.
Brother Killian is the Chamberlain.
Brother Stanislav had a key also.
He was in charge of this collection.
No one was allowed to view it
without his supervision.
We need a post-mortem.
You can't take his body.
I have to insist.
I'm afraid
we have very strict rules here.
He must be laid out
and prayers must be spoken.
Please
Wake Dr Jaeger. Get him over here.
Did you know Stanislav well,
Brother
David.
Ever since he came here.
We took our vows at about the same time.
Tell me did he have enemies?
The teachings of Christ
are open to different interpretations.
That wasn't what I asked.
Brother Stanislav had some
contentious views
on the messages of scripture.
And that made him unpopular?
I was asleep.
Dr Jaeger. This is Brother David,
the Infirmarian.
You're not permitted to take the body,
but at least you can have a look at him.
I'd say this man was beaten
to death with stones.
A martyr's death.
What?
St Stephen,
the first Christian martyr
died by stoning.
Any idea who did this?
None of the brethren are capable
of such brutality, Inspector.
There must have been an intruder.
Have any of the doors been broken down?
Maybe someone climbed the wall,
found an open window.
I need to tell them.
What?
What is it?
There was an altercation.
What?
Brother Stanislav was threatened.
A week ago, he reported it to me.
And you never thought of calling the police?
We didn't take it seriously.
Father Abbot, who threatened him?
I need a name.
Three hours.
- Oh no. Was it agony?
- Yes.
Three hours I had to be apart from you.
I thought God was punishing me.
Inspector Rheinhardt?
What are you doing here?
Sorry to disturb you, Fraulein Weiss,
I'm looking for Herr Korngold.
I'm Jonas Korngold.
Ah, it's Isaak Korngold I want.
You're looking for me, Inspector.
Isaak Korngold
you're under arrest.
Leopoldstadt Police.
Is this about that monk?
You're arresting me
for breaking a picture?
No, for murder.
Brother Stanislav has been killed.
Th-this is insane!
I-I didn't kill him!
No, no, no,
there must be a misunderstanding
- Let me go!
- Isaak! Take your hands off him!
- Forgive me, Fraulein.
- Must be a misunderstanding!
Tell me about Brother Stanislav.
Do you know him?
I've met him.
Where?
The Historical Society.
A week ago.
I went there to talk to him.
Talk? Really?
We have witnesses who say different.
He's a dangerous fanatic!
He was preaching violence.
So, you went there to threaten him.
Where were you last night,
around midnight?
I was at home.
Any witnesses?
No.
Brother Stanislav was discovered
this morning, battered by heavy stones.
Fractured skull, fractured limbs.
shall pelt him with stones
and he shall die
Was that what you meant
when you threatened him with stoning?
You're a suspect in a murder enquiry.
You need to get yourself a lawyer.
"They threw Daniel in the lion's den.
And the King said
may the God that you serve
come and rescue you."
Inspector?
I demand you let me see him.
Your brother has been arrested for murder.
Your demands mean nothing.
Fraulein.
In a week then, Herr Schwarz.
Clara?
Max.
Oh, please, come in.
Beautiful offices you've got.
I see you've done well for yourself.
I would have been
the wife of a successful doctor.
Instead you're going to be
the wife of a successful banker.
You say it like
they're easily interchangeable.
- How are you keeping
- I'm sorry
- Sorry, you go first.
- No, please.
- No, you.
- No.
Please, have a seat.
I'm sorry.
It must be awkward, seeing me again.
I see you often.
I meant it's awkward
for us to be alone.
I had hoped that eventually
we could be friends.
I need your friendship
more than ever today, Max.
Jonas' brother is in trouble.
They arrested him for murder.
What?
Jonas and I were turned away
from the police station.
They're refusing to release him.
They say he murdered a monk.
The allegation is ridiculous.
He's from a respectable family.
They're going to be my family soon.
And how can I help, Clara?
Go and see Inspector Rheinhardt.
And say what exactly?
Ask to meet with Isaak.
If you're any good at this psychology,
you'll see at once
that he can't possibly have done it.
I'm sorry.
I'm getting married in a few weeks,
did you know?
Jonas is heartbroken.
He doesn't say as much, but it's obvious.
Please help me bring his brother home.
The answer is "no".
You don't know what the question is yet.
Oh, sorry, my mistake.
I thought you were about to plead with me
to release that fellow from your synagogue.
Max
it's a straightforward murder case.
There is no puzzle for you to solve.
At least let me talk to him.
That's usually when things start to unravel.
Herr Korngold.
We don't really know each other.
I'm Max Liebermann.
I know who you are.
You were engaged to Clara Weiss.
Clara came to visit me. She thought perhaps
I could help you. May I?
You know what they're accusing me of?
I swear to you I didn't kill him.
He was preaching hatred.
Yes, I was at that lecture too.
I heard you threaten him.
A young boy was beaten.
A child that I taught at Hebrew school.
Stanislav was responsible
for stirring up that hatred.
I couldn't just do nothing.
You don't understand, do you?
You don't care about our religion.
It's true.
I have no love for religion
particularly when it stirs men
to acts of hatred and cruelty.
I'm going to plead my own case.
I'm going to stand up in court
and denounce Stanislav for what he was.
I know some people here,
perhaps they can help.
I don't want help.
And you
you don't owe me anything.
No.
But I do owe Clara.
Perhaps this is how I can atone.
He threatened Stanislav in public.
A few days later, the monk ends up dead,
exactly the way Korngold predicted.
He has no alibi, no defence.
What?
He made that threat
in front of dozens of witnesses.
You really think
if he planned to kill him
he would've issued
a public declaration first?
This is not a psychology lesson.
He's a deeply pious man, Oskar.
He's devout.
It's unlikely he's a killer.
History is full of religious men
raising their hands against each other
Oskar!
You expect me just to release him
based on your recommendation?
- You have to be sure.
- What?
I have to be sure.
Please, go back to the monastery.
Begin an investigation.
Oh, Max. Oh, really
The police are here again.
They're riding up to the gates.
What are you going to tell them?
They're not priests.
We don't need to unburden
our souls to them.
Stay silent.
Open up.
I need to visit the murder scene.
Let me in, Father. I must insist.
I understand you already
have a suspect in custody.
The investigation is just beginning.
We need to garner all the evidence.
I'm very sorry, Inspector.
I can no longer permit you to enter.
What?
The sacristy is our holy place.
The laws of man have no meaning
not before the laws of God.
- I can't have you trespass further
- Father Abbot.
The Vienna police
have been barred from our gates.
None of you are permitted to speak with them
or discuss this matter further.
A suspect is in custody.
There is nothing to be gained
from intruding on our peace.
Is that clear?
Max.
Clara's told us everything.
Have you been to the police?
Yes. I spoke with Inspector Rheinhardt.
And?
What happened?
The investigation is ongoing.
What does that mean?
It means I told them Isaak
isn't responsible.
Of course he isn't.
And so?
Are they going to release him?
The investigation is ongoing.
What's he meant to do?
Just sit in a prison cell?
Surely you could have done more?
Leah
You're very kind, Max.
Thank you.
Yes, perhaps you should go home.
Get some rest.
I'll telephone as soon
as I hear anything.
And good luck with your plans
for the wedding.
Uh, g-goodbye, darling.
We're all praying for his safe return.
Max.
Have you seen this?
That family's reputation
is going to suffer.
Korngolds used to be
one of the finest companies in Vienna.
Used to be?
Mark my words,
people will begin to withdraw their capital.
Clara's future may be over
before it's begun.
You still feel responsible for her.
Apparently, you have a suspect downstairs.
Yes, we're still not ready to charge him.
The murder of a monk.
It would be good to have a result fast.
- Yes, of course, sir. But
- But?
Rheinhardt?
You're still in the doghouse
after that mess with the Russians.
The evidence is all circumstantial.
We have nothing to put him at the scene.
The city demands justice!
Don't drag your feet.
Herr Inspector!
Haussmann? Can't you see I'm
There's something going on,
something I can't explain.
The Abbot has issued a decree.
He spoke to all the brethren today.
He has sworn us to silence
over the death of Brother Stanislav.
It is as if
As if there is a secret.
Yes.
But I don't understand
what he's trying to keep hidden.
Truth is not a luxury, Inspector.
Truth must be at the heart
of our daily ministry.
And so you came to me?
How long have you known Stanislav?
Ever since he took holy orders.
Did you like him?
He was
He was very
devout.
Everyone keeps avoiding my questions
when I ask about him.
I am the chamberlain.
I make sure that the brethren
have clean bedding and clean clothes.
That is my mission.
What was Stanislav's mission?
He taught that the enemies
of Christ should be struck down.
He was an extremist.
Misguided, I believe.
But his murder is still a sin.
So how may I be of service?
I need access to the monastery.
I'm sorry, that's not possible.
Only the chapel and
confessionals are open.
The sacristy has been sealed.
And what are you going to do?
I applied to a judge for a legal order
but that could take weeks.
Surely they have members of the order
visiting from time to time?
I suppose.
Well, what if someone
were to pose as one of the brethren?
You want me to dress up Haussmann
in a cassock and surplice?
No.
No!
- No.
- Oskar, listen.
At school I used to go
to chapel with the other boys.
- So?
- I didn't want to seem different
so I used to pretend that I was Catholic.
I've said the Latin catechism.
For God's sake,
someone has to get inside.
You want to go undercover
into a monastery?
Yes.
What about your practice,
your patients?
They're not exactly queueing up
at the door.
Oskar, contact Killian.
Ask him to help us,
persuade him to vouch for me somehow.
Please, Oskar.
This may be our only chance
to help Korngold.
I owe it to Clara.
- A conference?
- Mm. A symposium.
Up in the mountains, near Semmering.
Well, how long will you be gone?
A couple of days.
Poor Clara.
And you said you would help her.
This does seem awfully callous,
you going now.
But I thought
- I mean, you said
- I'm sorry.
I thought we were going to the opera?
Forgive me.
What is it that's so urgent
all of a sudden?
Uh
if I gave you a reason now,
I'd be lying.
Please don't ask me.
What's going on, Max?
You plead with me for weeks and months
to go out with you.
And when I finally agree,
you change your mind.
I'll make it up to you, I promise.
Brother Maxwell, welcome.
Brother Killian, my dear friend.
Brother Maxwell of Oxford, Father.
We made a pilgrimage together,
some years ago.
Welcome to our monastery, Brother.
Next door.
Sadly, one of our brothers passed.
That was his room.
I trust you'll be content here.
Yes, indeed. Thank you, sir
Father.
You're here from Oxford?
Yes, on my way to Assisi.
The pilgrim trail, Father.
Where did you train in Oxford?
Some years since I was there.
Burford Priory.
Far outside the city, a tiny place.
I doubt you would know it.
No, indeed.
This is for you, Brother.
Just a moment, Herr Strobl,
I'll tell him you're here.
Yes, thank you. Yeah
I understand your reservations,
but please
Please
Very well.
I'll have your account transferred.
Good day.
Someone to see you.
Well
I have all the time in the world,
it seems.
Another client cancelling his account.
No one wants to do business with us.
Who's here?
Herr Strobl!
"Herr Strobl."
Tobias.
Jonas, my dear friend.
I feel so sorry
for what's happened to your family.
How's your brother?
Well, I wish it were me instead of him.
Yeah. I hear rumours.
Business is suffering.
Well, it's Vienna.
Rumours can kill a man.
No one wants to be linked to a scandal.
Please.
Isaak is innocent, of course.
Of course.
But the stain can't easily
be washed from us.
So
how can I help you, Tobias?
Jonas, we've been friends
for such a long time.
I've come here to help you, if I can.
That is very kind of you.
But of course.
Thank you.
Brother Maxwell?
You need to get into the sacristy?
They're all in the refectory.
Come with me. Quickly.
Here.
Has the room been cleaned?
No.
Well, he didn't die here.
I saw his body, right here.
There are no blood traces.
You batter a man with heavy stones
the skin punctures
there's a great deal of trauma.
There would be blood spray everywhere.
Is there any other way into the sacristy?
No, only through the chapel.
No blood there either.
Someone smuggled his body into here.
I need to find out where he was murdered.
Brother David?
Yes?
Brother Maxwell.
From Oxford?
I heard you were here.
Everyone is talking.
I
wondered if I could have a herbal remedy.
My my joints are sore,
it's a long journey.
Of course. Give me a moment.
I'll find you something.
I heard you lost one of the brethren.
Oh, stupid!
Brother Stanislav.
Our sacrist.
He was attacked.
Right here in the monastery.
Everyone is still rather
shaken up about it.
No one knows
how it happened or who the killer is.
I wonder
may I be permitted to say
a prayer for him?
Perhaps offer a blessing?
What was he like?
Were you close to him?
These men are my family,
my brothers.
Even Stanislav?
They say he was an extremist.
I gave him the same care I would give
to any of the others.
He was sick, last winter.
Took to his bed with fever.
I worked hard to banish the sickness.
The fever clung on for weeks.
What are those scratches?
Is there any reason he would be outside?
Beyond the walls?
Well? How's the new outfit?
Bit scratchy on the backside?
Did you come here to taunt me
or do you want to learn what I've found out?
No reason we can't do both.
Oskar!
Sorry.
Sorry.
He didn't die in the sacristy.
He was killed in the parkland.
What makes you think so?
I've seen the blood.
This rain may have washed away
the evidence.
Wait for me at the entrance.
I'll show you.
Why go to the trouble
of dragging the body back inside?
I know, it's odd.
Nobody saw his body being moved.
The gates are sealed at night.
There's no blood on any of the floors.
It's like a magic trick.
We need a map.
A detailed plan of the monastery.
There must be another way in.
Catacombs burial chambers.
Something else, Oskar,
something more significant.
What?
A man leaves the safety
of the monastery walls
and walks willingly to his death.
What does that tell you about his state
of mind when he came out here?
You obviously want
to answer your own question.
I've known you long enough, Max.
He was meeting someone he knew.
Someone he thought was a friend.
Then it's not Isaak Korngold.
No. It's not.
What's that?
Look
I can't read it.
"Enemy."
It says the word "enemy".
In which language?
Hebrew.
Saskia.
Fraulein Weiss.
Jonas.
What's happening?
Why is everyone leaving?
Things are moving fast, Clara.
I can't afford to keep them.
Is it really that bad?
Killing a man in holy orders.
The bank is mired in scandal.
Nobody wants to do business with us.
Max can be very helpful
talking to the police for us.
I am very grateful to him
but I don't want to drag
anyone down with us.
What?
What is it?
I remember
not so long ago, Max was drowning
in a scandal of his own and I was
less than generous.
Maybe I deserve what's happening to me.
No!
No, no, no, no.
- Herr Korngold?
- What?
He's here.
Show him to the boardroom,
would you, Saskia?
Somebody made me an offer
to buy the business.
You're not thinking of selling up?
Why didn't you talk to me first?
Uh, forgive me intruding again,
Brother.
You want something from the infirmary?
Actually, I
I wanted to talk to you.
I'm curious.
Did Stanislav have enemies?
"Blessed are you when men revile you."
Stanislav was
different from the others.
Different? How?
He had
a very rare gift.
A gift?
I am a healer, Brother.
I use God's blessings
to minister to the sick.
When Stanislav was at death's door
last winter, I tried to save him.
But
I failed.
Then
how did he recover from his sickness?
I am unable to explain it.
Stanislav believed that he was touched
by a power that came directly from heaven.
A "power"?
The sacristy.
He believed there was power there
greater than you or I could ever imagine.
I grind herbs to make medicine
but it's no miracle.
You're saying Stanislav
was touched by a miracle?
Jesus was led into the wilderness
and tempted.
The devil, dressed in his finery, said,
"Show me a miracle."
Excuse me, Brother.
A magic trick?
The body was somehow
smuggled down into the sacristy.
I need architectural plans.
Do you maybe?
I don't have those sorts of records
in the archives.
What about the city museum?
Department of Iconography.
Of course.
200 years old,
designed by Hildebrandt
this is a plan of the building
that houses all the icons.
There must be a way inside
that we don't know about.
Churches are some of the richest institutions
in the Empire.
Heiligenkron Abbey
has many priceless treasures in its vaults.
Believe me, it's impregnable.
You knew Brother Stanislav?
A little.
I invited him
to talk to the Historical Society.
His views were extreme, to say the least.
Do you think he was a man
who made a lot of enemies?
Are you a Catholic, Inspector?
Lapsed.
Religion is less and less fashionable,
it seems.
I spent my life studying religious icons
but most of them
no longer have any real potency.
Stanislav was a man
of deep and unshakeable faith.
It's bound to have made him unpopular
in a world filled only with
rationalists.
There's something here.
A sacristy was sometimes designed
with a watching chamber.
A secret room to keep watch
over the treasures.
A watching chamber?
Mm.
Only the sacrist would know about it.
It wouldn't be in the architectural plans.
It would just be a secret passed down
between the generations.
It's not much to go on,
but it's the best that I can do.
I'll visit the sacristy again.
I have something for you.
Stanislav burned some papers.
This is all that was left.
This bit of gilding.
Hm.
From a letterhead?
He kept all his correspondence.
Why burn that one?
You need to find
the owner of that crest.
What are you doing?
Why are you following me?
I'm sorry, I
It was you.
I heard you pacing outside my room.
What are you trying to find?
He asked me to watch out for you.
Who? Who asked you?
Your friend.
Inspector Rheinhardt,
he said you often get into trouble.
He mentioned something
about the Ferris wheel.
Mm-hm?
Ah, Rheinhardt.
You wanted to see me, sir?
The Korngold business
has been sold to new owners.
Yes, I read about it.
Well, I have just been contacted by them.
They discovered this
in their private papers.
A document in Hebrew.
I've had an expert translate it.
"Yimakh shemo."
A Hebrew curse.
Recognise the name that follows?
"Stanislav."
It was hidden in their private safe,
evidence of some ancient Jewish ritual.
We have to charge Korngold at once.
What's the matter, Rheinhardt?
You're not convinced?
There is some kind of conspiracy
at the monastery.
What?
I sent someone in, undercover
disguised as one of the brethren.
Who's the officer?
Dr Liebermann.
Liebermann?
He was willing to assist.
And you let him?
Sir
A Jew in a monastery!
A personal friend of the accused.
What if the papers got a hold of this?
Commissioner
You're a fool, Rheinhardt.
They're all bound to stick together.
They?
How can we trust a word that Liebermann
says when the accused is another Jew?
What is it you're looking
for this time?
The answer to a riddle.
We don't have much time.
What is it?
I'm not sure.
Maybe nothing
Dear God in heaven.
Look at the blood.
Stanislav's final journey.
You didn't know this place existed?
No.
Two lines in the dust.
The body was dragged by someone.
Mystery solved. No magic trick.
We've found it, Oskar.
We've found the blood trail.
Brother, will you hear my confession?
Oh, sorry, forgive me. But
Dominus noster Jesus Christus te.
We found it, Oskar,
we found the blood trail.
The footprints
in the dust lead only one way.
Whoever dragged his body
stayed within these walls.
You're telling me
it was one of the brethren?
And I think I know who, Oskar.
Brother, I need to talk to you.
Not now. Not here.
I believe Stanislav's body
was dragged into the sacristy.
Perhaps by the same man who attacked him.
You can't believe that I'm responsible
Or perhaps by someone
who discovered him hurt
and believed a miracle might cure him.
You told me it was a place of miracles.
Meet me in the infirmary, after nightfall.
Oremus.
You were right, Miss Lydgate.
A watching chamber,
built right under the monastery.
Extraordinary.
Someone dragged him back inside.
We suspect the infirmarian
knows more than he's telling.
Murder! Murder!
Another corpse.
You can no longer bar me
from your doors, Father.
Multiple stab wounds.
Rather unusual weapon.
Saint Cassian.
Another martyr's death.
What happened?
Who discovered him?
He was found by Brother Maxwell here.
Perhaps Brother Maxwell and I
can speak in private.
Excuse us, please.
Brother Maxwell.
Do you think David was involved?
I think David dragged the body back inside
into the sacristy
hoping for a miracle.
Stanislav believed that place
had special powers.
I think David had begun to believe it too.
Oskar, I've been so stupid.
He tried to tell me what he had witnessed.
The devil, dressed in his finery,
said, "Show me a miracle."
He saw someone in the park that night.
He saw the killer.
Have you examined the gilding?
- Yeah.
- And?
No match as yet. Why?
Someone wrote to Stanislav.
A letter he subsequently burned.
Why write to a sacrist?
Someone wanted access
to one of the treasures inside.
There's something in that vault
that has the power to make men kill.
We need to find what's missing.
Inspector?
I think you need to see this.
So, you want to go
on a damned treasure hunt?
Stanislav had access to the vaults.
That might be a motive for murder.
We already have our motive.
- Sir?
- The curse!
Korngold's hatred of the monk.
It all adds up. The ritualistic murders.
Christian martyrs killed by their enemies.
The Hebrew runes left by their bodies.
It's some sort of Jewish ritual.
Isaak Korngold is behind bars, sir.
He couldn't possibly
have done the second murder.
He had an accomplice.
Someone else returned to kill the witness.
Dr Liebermann believes
Liebermann was in the monastery.
He must be considered a suspect.
And the warrant to search the sacristy?
If one of the treasures has been stolen
we'll look like fools if we missed it.
I need the help of experts.
We're going into the vault.
What are you trying to find, Inspector?
A miracle.
Where's Max?
He didn't tell you where he was going?
A woman in the monastery!
You are permitted in very few places.
Ah.
I assume this is just a hobby.
Otherwise, you and I
won't have much of a future.
Extraordinary! These treasures
shouldn't be locked up here in the dark.
They belong in a museum.
You're seriously expecting the Catholic
church to surrender all its secrets?
So, nothing is missing.
Everything as it should be.
Here's something.
The lock is scratched.
It's been opened recently.
"Sanguis et aqua"?
Blood and water.
- Miss Lydgate.
- Hm?
Do you mind?
Thank you.
Please be careful with it.
Nothing mentioned in the inventory?
No.
So, something obviously has been taken.
Do you know what it is?
No.
I do.
I recognise the impression.
Look, here.
No, it can't be
The Holy Lance.
The lance that pierced the skin of Christ,
hidden here in the sacristy.
Is it believable?
There are scores of such relics
all over the world.
I'm not convinced by its authenticity.
It would most likely be a fake one.
It doesn't matter if it's real or not.
All that matters is what people believe.
That's what gives it its power.
If someone thought it was here
and if they thought it was real
what would they do to gain possession of it?
We've found our motive.
Gilded letterhead.
Someone wrote to Stanislav,
eager to see this relic.
He smuggled it out to show them.
Jesus tempted in the wilderness.
But he made a grave mistake.
Yes, he was killed and the relic was stolen.
We have our answer, Oskar.
I think it's time we went to confession.
Father, my name is Liebermann.
Max Liebermann.
Is this some sort of trick?
Dr Liebermann was sent here under
the supervision of the Leopoldstadt police.
Thank you.
Brother, you vouched for him personally.
Yes, but I was eager
to find Stanislav's killer.
I helped Brother Maxwell live here among us.
You don't need to call me "Brother" anymore.
Though I think I might use it
in the foreseeable future.
You brought an imposter into God's house?
I was determined to find the truth, Father.
Stanislav deserved no less.
You have disobeyed me.
You have disobeyed your vow.
Yes.
And I truly beg your forgiveness.
We need to know about the lance, Father.
The Holy Lance
that pierced the flesh of Christ.
The monastery was in possession of it.
You've kept it a secret all this time.
Who knew that it was here,
other than you and Stanislav?
You don't understand, Inspector.
There are hundreds,
thousands of so-called religious artefacts.
Bones claiming to be the fingers
of our Lord.
Wood from the cross,
nails that pierced his skin.
All over the world, people's faith
is being exploited by charlatans.
You don't believe in its power?
Unusual, for an abbot.
Its power is to make innocent men
into fools.
Worshipping false idols.
So, you ordered it to be hidden.
And you prevented us from investigating
a murder within these walls.
I knew you had someone in custody.
I thought that it was over.
I never dreamed
that the killer was still out there.
Stanislav didn't agree with your appraisal?
He fell ill, some months ago.
Brother David was unable to help him,
and then
Stanislav went into the sacristy
one night and
Was apparently healed by a miracle.
After that, after he was cured
he was convinced of its authenticity.
He preached about the miracle
to everyone who would listen.
Some of the brethren were persuaded,
even David.
But not you, Father?
I
I ordered it to remain locked away.
I didn't want the sepulchre
turned into a circus.
He disobeyed you.
Broke his vows.
Shared the secret
with someone on the outside.
That's why Stanislav was killed.
He left himself vulnerable
to someone else's greed.
That relic has a power
yes
but not for good.
Sir?
What have you got for me?
May I?
Yimakh shemo. The Jewish curse.
Found at Korngold's office.
What if it wasn't real?
What if it was all fabricated?
There's dozens of cases in history
of Jews being wrongfully accused.
It's called a "blood libel".
Jews falsely charged
with murdering Christians, unjustly executed.
Medieval crimes that have been stage-managed,
just to frame someone.
Look at the evidence.
So you think our killer is a historian?
This dagger's a fake.
A good one, though.
How can you be sure?
Very few layers of dirt and corrosion.
I'll write to the museum in Graz
and tell them.
Well done, Miss Lydgate.
What's on your mind, Max?
I'm thinking
about the profile of the killer.
Someone naive enough
to believe in the power of miracles?
Someone who, in this cold,
rational world
still clings on to the notion
that God is mightier than man.
Oh, I'm late.
Promised Amelia I'd take her out tonight.
My penance for taking holy vows.
She's very punctual.
Forgive me, Oskar. Good night.
Good night, Brother Maxwell.
Ladies and gentlemen,
the museum is closing.
Please make your way to the entrance,
the museum is closing.
Ow!
What's this?
Something very precious to me,
Miss Lydgate.
Sorry, the museum is closed.
- It's only two minutes past.
- No, no, no.
Well, I'm here for Miss Lydgate.
The museum is closed.
Try the staff entrance.
You want to know
what I'm planning for you?
"Is he mad enough to kill me?"
I suppose there is a kind of madness
that took hold of me.
The Holy Lance
that pierced the skin of Christ.
The spear of destiny
that brought forth blood and water.
Modern science is a terrible scourge.
We have become a nation of rationalists.
I've devoted my entire life
to the study of religious relics
always hoping, always wanting to believe
that they were more
than just folk tales and fairy stories.
And then I met the monk
Stanislav.
He swore to me he had found
a true miracle.
I wrote to him, asking to see it.
I tell you
I was powerless in its presence.
I had to possess it.
I suppose you can call it
a kind of religious fervour.
Is it madness?
Dr Liebermann would doubtless
have a name for it.
I didn't mean to kill him.
I pushed him.
He tripped, and
it happened in a moment.
And now I
I have no choice but to run away.
Now you know.
Perhaps, before I do,
together we could find out the truth.
Can we turn our backs
on a chance to witness a miracle,
Miss Lydgate?
When I cut your flesh,
then holy water will spring forth.
Priel?
Get away from her!
Don't touch it.
Don't you dare touch it!
Max.
I'm fine. Get him. Go after him!
Priel!
I didn't mean to kill him,
I swear!
And Brother David?
I'm not responsible for that!
I absolved myself!
I confessed my sin!
To whom? Who did you tell,
Professor?
Professor?
No!
Priel told someone else
about what happened with Stanislav.
Someone else is
You're not telling me
we've got the wrong man?
Someone else is involved, Oskar.
Who else benefitted?
Who had an opportunity
to leave the Hebrew letters?
If you thought you'd killed someone,
who would you tell?
A mentor?
A friend?
David told me who he saw that night.
"The devil dressed in finery."
Oskar, only one person had the opportunity
to plant that curse in Korngold's office.
Gentlemen? How can I help you?
Good evening, Herr Strobl.
Good evening.
You've taken over the business here.
Yes
I'm now the major shareholder.
It's a pity the Korngold brothers' reputation
must suffer, but
I was able to take on their debts.
You mean you've capitalised
on their losses.
Why not?
This is business.
He came to you, didn't he?
Excuse me?
Priel.
He came to you as his patron,
as his
closest friend.
When he thought he'd killed the monk
he came to you that very same night,
and confessed it all.
And it was so easy for you.
You remembered the threat Isaak Korngold
had made and in that moment
you conceived of a plan
to make it look as if Korngold
was responsible, instead of your friend.
What did you do?
Go back to the parkland?
Take a stone and make it look
exactly like the stoning
that Korngold threatened to inflict on him?
You scratched the Hebrew letters
into the rock
to lead us straight to Korngold.
And, of course, you let your good friend
Priel believe he was the killer.
But you finished Stanislav off
just so you could lay your hands
on this business.
And, of course,
you were told there had been a witness.
You knew you had to act.
Good evening, Brother David.
This is absurd.
You have no proof of any of this.
We have the document you forged,
the blood libel.
And we have a scientist
who can extract evidence of the author
from any parchment.
You tried to stab me, alright
Your hat.
Inspector.
I'm sorry to intrude, Max.
I shouldn't really be here.
No, it's fine. I was just on my way out.
I'm meeting someone for dinner.
I won't keep you a moment. I just, I
Isaak was released from custody today.
My carriage just seemed
to steer its way over here.
I had to see you alone one last time.
I
Um
There's no need to thank me.
I was happy to do it.
Well, not happy
Jonas doesn't know I'm here.
And he wouldn't have wanted me to come.
Drive.
has man been living an illusion?
We live in a world of dreams.
A powerful hallucination.
We turn our backs on the sensory world
into which we have been born
and choose instead to live
in a fantasy.
A fantasy we call religion.
Get him!
Catch the Jew! Come on!
Get him!
Jew boy!
Hey, you! Get away from there!
I'll call the police!
What have they done to you?
- Strobl, have you met my son, Max?
- How do you do?
How do you do?
Strobl is the society's patron.
Ah, of course!
You are the psychoanalyst.
Excuse me.
Oh, good evening,
I'm so glad that you
Everyone still says it
like it's a term of abuse.
What?
The P-word.
Last year it wasn't
in their vocabulary.
Most of them still have trouble
pronouncing it.
I still don't understand
why you wanted to accompany me.
What is it Freud says about religion?
- He calls it infantile.
- Mm. Exactly.
Why would religious relics
be of interest to you
Good evening, Max.
Good evening, Herr Liebermann.
Ladies and gentlemen,
welcome to the Historical Society lecture
generously funded
by my good friend Tobias Strobl.
Tobias has been my closest friend
and my mentor for many years.
And I'm deeply indebted to him
for supporting my private research.
Now, I am delighted to introduce
our speaker for this evening
Brother Stanislav from Heiligenkron Abbey.
Brother Stanislav is renowned in Vienna
for his brilliant, scholarly articles.
And he's here to talk to us all
about the monastery's great store
of religious artefacts
He's a bigot!
A dangerous fanatic!
The only thing that comes out of his pen
is pure poison.
You wrote an article
in the Catholic newspaper.
Do you deny it?
No, indeed. Why should I?
Your writing is filth.
Your mind is filth.
You shouldn't be granted a platform
anywhere in this city!
You would deny our guest
the chance to speak?
I'd deny anyone the opportunity
to stir up hatred.
Vienna has always been
a place of tolerance.
Read what he's written!
This man is a dangerous zealot.
How have I offended you, brother?
I'm not your brother.
I'm a Jew.
You quoted the Church Fathers
in your article.
"The synagogue is a temple of demons
a criminal assembly."
Perhaps we could deal with this matter
privately, gentlemen.
Yesterday, in Leopoldstadt
a young Jewish boy was beaten.
The exact same reference
was scrawled on the wall beside him.
"Demon"!
I hold you responsible.
What have you got to say?
"You do deny the son of God.
How long, poor wretches,
will ye not believe the truth?"
What?
"You are the assassins of Christ,
a den of thieves
a dwelling of iniquity,
a refuge of devils."
You know the sermons?
Very well.
Let me quote the Torah back to you.
"Thou
shall pelt him with stones"
Oh
"and he shall die
for he sought to make you stray
from the Lord your God."
Ladies and gentlemen, please!
Please
Still awake, darling?
How was it, the lecture?
- Not quite what we were expecting.
- Oh?
There was a slight altercation.
At the Historical Society?
I thought it was all stuffy old men
looking at statues of nudes.
Well anyway, goodnight.
Goodnight.
You want a brandy, Max?
Um, no, thank you.
I-I think I'll just go up
Sorry about this evening.
Sure?
Odd chap, that heckler in the crowd.
I know him from the Shul.
He's one of Korngold's brothers.
Isaak.
If what he said about that monk is true
then I think he left with his pride intact.
Not sure the same could be said
for you and me.
Goodnight.
Night.
Who is it?
Brother?
Are you hurt?
Stanislav.
Dear God in heaven
- Haussmann.
- Inspector.
His name is Brother Stanislav,
a young monk.
He's been savagely beaten.
The monk who found him
says he hardly recognised him.
This is the Abbot.
Inspector Rheinhardt,
Leopoldstadt Police.
Father Abbot.
Inspector.
"The Lord our God
will inflict his curses upon us."
Eternal rest to him, O Lord.
He was severely beaten with something.
There is no weapon here,
Inspector.
This is the sacristy
where we keep
our sacred treasures.
Who has access to this room?
Who has a key?
I do.
Brother Killian is the Chamberlain.
Brother Stanislav had a key also.
He was in charge of this collection.
No one was allowed to view it
without his supervision.
We need a post-mortem.
You can't take his body.
I have to insist.
I'm afraid
we have very strict rules here.
He must be laid out
and prayers must be spoken.
Please
Wake Dr Jaeger. Get him over here.
Did you know Stanislav well,
Brother
David.
Ever since he came here.
We took our vows at about the same time.
Tell me did he have enemies?
The teachings of Christ
are open to different interpretations.
That wasn't what I asked.
Brother Stanislav had some
contentious views
on the messages of scripture.
And that made him unpopular?
I was asleep.
Dr Jaeger. This is Brother David,
the Infirmarian.
You're not permitted to take the body,
but at least you can have a look at him.
I'd say this man was beaten
to death with stones.
A martyr's death.
What?
St Stephen,
the first Christian martyr
died by stoning.
Any idea who did this?
None of the brethren are capable
of such brutality, Inspector.
There must have been an intruder.
Have any of the doors been broken down?
Maybe someone climbed the wall,
found an open window.
I need to tell them.
What?
What is it?
There was an altercation.
What?
Brother Stanislav was threatened.
A week ago, he reported it to me.
And you never thought of calling the police?
We didn't take it seriously.
Father Abbot, who threatened him?
I need a name.
Three hours.
- Oh no. Was it agony?
- Yes.
Three hours I had to be apart from you.
I thought God was punishing me.
Inspector Rheinhardt?
What are you doing here?
Sorry to disturb you, Fraulein Weiss,
I'm looking for Herr Korngold.
I'm Jonas Korngold.
Ah, it's Isaak Korngold I want.
You're looking for me, Inspector.
Isaak Korngold
you're under arrest.
Leopoldstadt Police.
Is this about that monk?
You're arresting me
for breaking a picture?
No, for murder.
Brother Stanislav has been killed.
Th-this is insane!
I-I didn't kill him!
No, no, no,
there must be a misunderstanding
- Let me go!
- Isaak! Take your hands off him!
- Forgive me, Fraulein.
- Must be a misunderstanding!
Tell me about Brother Stanislav.
Do you know him?
I've met him.
Where?
The Historical Society.
A week ago.
I went there to talk to him.
Talk? Really?
We have witnesses who say different.
He's a dangerous fanatic!
He was preaching violence.
So, you went there to threaten him.
Where were you last night,
around midnight?
I was at home.
Any witnesses?
No.
Brother Stanislav was discovered
this morning, battered by heavy stones.
Fractured skull, fractured limbs.
shall pelt him with stones
and he shall die
Was that what you meant
when you threatened him with stoning?
You're a suspect in a murder enquiry.
You need to get yourself a lawyer.
"They threw Daniel in the lion's den.
And the King said
may the God that you serve
come and rescue you."
Inspector?
I demand you let me see him.
Your brother has been arrested for murder.
Your demands mean nothing.
Fraulein.
In a week then, Herr Schwarz.
Clara?
Max.
Oh, please, come in.
Beautiful offices you've got.
I see you've done well for yourself.
I would have been
the wife of a successful doctor.
Instead you're going to be
the wife of a successful banker.
You say it like
they're easily interchangeable.
- How are you keeping
- I'm sorry
- Sorry, you go first.
- No, please.
- No, you.
- No.
Please, have a seat.
I'm sorry.
It must be awkward, seeing me again.
I see you often.
I meant it's awkward
for us to be alone.
I had hoped that eventually
we could be friends.
I need your friendship
more than ever today, Max.
Jonas' brother is in trouble.
They arrested him for murder.
What?
Jonas and I were turned away
from the police station.
They're refusing to release him.
They say he murdered a monk.
The allegation is ridiculous.
He's from a respectable family.
They're going to be my family soon.
And how can I help, Clara?
Go and see Inspector Rheinhardt.
And say what exactly?
Ask to meet with Isaak.
If you're any good at this psychology,
you'll see at once
that he can't possibly have done it.
I'm sorry.
I'm getting married in a few weeks,
did you know?
Jonas is heartbroken.
He doesn't say as much, but it's obvious.
Please help me bring his brother home.
The answer is "no".
You don't know what the question is yet.
Oh, sorry, my mistake.
I thought you were about to plead with me
to release that fellow from your synagogue.
Max
it's a straightforward murder case.
There is no puzzle for you to solve.
At least let me talk to him.
That's usually when things start to unravel.
Herr Korngold.
We don't really know each other.
I'm Max Liebermann.
I know who you are.
You were engaged to Clara Weiss.
Clara came to visit me. She thought perhaps
I could help you. May I?
You know what they're accusing me of?
I swear to you I didn't kill him.
He was preaching hatred.
Yes, I was at that lecture too.
I heard you threaten him.
A young boy was beaten.
A child that I taught at Hebrew school.
Stanislav was responsible
for stirring up that hatred.
I couldn't just do nothing.
You don't understand, do you?
You don't care about our religion.
It's true.
I have no love for religion
particularly when it stirs men
to acts of hatred and cruelty.
I'm going to plead my own case.
I'm going to stand up in court
and denounce Stanislav for what he was.
I know some people here,
perhaps they can help.
I don't want help.
And you
you don't owe me anything.
No.
But I do owe Clara.
Perhaps this is how I can atone.
He threatened Stanislav in public.
A few days later, the monk ends up dead,
exactly the way Korngold predicted.
He has no alibi, no defence.
What?
He made that threat
in front of dozens of witnesses.
You really think
if he planned to kill him
he would've issued
a public declaration first?
This is not a psychology lesson.
He's a deeply pious man, Oskar.
He's devout.
It's unlikely he's a killer.
History is full of religious men
raising their hands against each other
Oskar!
You expect me just to release him
based on your recommendation?
- You have to be sure.
- What?
I have to be sure.
Please, go back to the monastery.
Begin an investigation.
Oh, Max. Oh, really
The police are here again.
They're riding up to the gates.
What are you going to tell them?
They're not priests.
We don't need to unburden
our souls to them.
Stay silent.
Open up.
I need to visit the murder scene.
Let me in, Father. I must insist.
I understand you already
have a suspect in custody.
The investigation is just beginning.
We need to garner all the evidence.
I'm very sorry, Inspector.
I can no longer permit you to enter.
What?
The sacristy is our holy place.
The laws of man have no meaning
not before the laws of God.
- I can't have you trespass further
- Father Abbot.
The Vienna police
have been barred from our gates.
None of you are permitted to speak with them
or discuss this matter further.
A suspect is in custody.
There is nothing to be gained
from intruding on our peace.
Is that clear?
Max.
Clara's told us everything.
Have you been to the police?
Yes. I spoke with Inspector Rheinhardt.
And?
What happened?
The investigation is ongoing.
What does that mean?
It means I told them Isaak
isn't responsible.
Of course he isn't.
And so?
Are they going to release him?
The investigation is ongoing.
What's he meant to do?
Just sit in a prison cell?
Surely you could have done more?
Leah
You're very kind, Max.
Thank you.
Yes, perhaps you should go home.
Get some rest.
I'll telephone as soon
as I hear anything.
And good luck with your plans
for the wedding.
Uh, g-goodbye, darling.
We're all praying for his safe return.
Max.
Have you seen this?
That family's reputation
is going to suffer.
Korngolds used to be
one of the finest companies in Vienna.
Used to be?
Mark my words,
people will begin to withdraw their capital.
Clara's future may be over
before it's begun.
You still feel responsible for her.
Apparently, you have a suspect downstairs.
Yes, we're still not ready to charge him.
The murder of a monk.
It would be good to have a result fast.
- Yes, of course, sir. But
- But?
Rheinhardt?
You're still in the doghouse
after that mess with the Russians.
The evidence is all circumstantial.
We have nothing to put him at the scene.
The city demands justice!
Don't drag your feet.
Herr Inspector!
Haussmann? Can't you see I'm
There's something going on,
something I can't explain.
The Abbot has issued a decree.
He spoke to all the brethren today.
He has sworn us to silence
over the death of Brother Stanislav.
It is as if
As if there is a secret.
Yes.
But I don't understand
what he's trying to keep hidden.
Truth is not a luxury, Inspector.
Truth must be at the heart
of our daily ministry.
And so you came to me?
How long have you known Stanislav?
Ever since he took holy orders.
Did you like him?
He was
He was very
devout.
Everyone keeps avoiding my questions
when I ask about him.
I am the chamberlain.
I make sure that the brethren
have clean bedding and clean clothes.
That is my mission.
What was Stanislav's mission?
He taught that the enemies
of Christ should be struck down.
He was an extremist.
Misguided, I believe.
But his murder is still a sin.
So how may I be of service?
I need access to the monastery.
I'm sorry, that's not possible.
Only the chapel and
confessionals are open.
The sacristy has been sealed.
And what are you going to do?
I applied to a judge for a legal order
but that could take weeks.
Surely they have members of the order
visiting from time to time?
I suppose.
Well, what if someone
were to pose as one of the brethren?
You want me to dress up Haussmann
in a cassock and surplice?
No.
No!
- No.
- Oskar, listen.
At school I used to go
to chapel with the other boys.
- So?
- I didn't want to seem different
so I used to pretend that I was Catholic.
I've said the Latin catechism.
For God's sake,
someone has to get inside.
You want to go undercover
into a monastery?
Yes.
What about your practice,
your patients?
They're not exactly queueing up
at the door.
Oskar, contact Killian.
Ask him to help us,
persuade him to vouch for me somehow.
Please, Oskar.
This may be our only chance
to help Korngold.
I owe it to Clara.
- A conference?
- Mm. A symposium.
Up in the mountains, near Semmering.
Well, how long will you be gone?
A couple of days.
Poor Clara.
And you said you would help her.
This does seem awfully callous,
you going now.
But I thought
- I mean, you said
- I'm sorry.
I thought we were going to the opera?
Forgive me.
What is it that's so urgent
all of a sudden?
Uh
if I gave you a reason now,
I'd be lying.
Please don't ask me.
What's going on, Max?
You plead with me for weeks and months
to go out with you.
And when I finally agree,
you change your mind.
I'll make it up to you, I promise.
Brother Maxwell, welcome.
Brother Killian, my dear friend.
Brother Maxwell of Oxford, Father.
We made a pilgrimage together,
some years ago.
Welcome to our monastery, Brother.
Next door.
Sadly, one of our brothers passed.
That was his room.
I trust you'll be content here.
Yes, indeed. Thank you, sir
Father.
You're here from Oxford?
Yes, on my way to Assisi.
The pilgrim trail, Father.
Where did you train in Oxford?
Some years since I was there.
Burford Priory.
Far outside the city, a tiny place.
I doubt you would know it.
No, indeed.
This is for you, Brother.
Just a moment, Herr Strobl,
I'll tell him you're here.
Yes, thank you. Yeah
I understand your reservations,
but please
Please
Very well.
I'll have your account transferred.
Good day.
Someone to see you.
Well
I have all the time in the world,
it seems.
Another client cancelling his account.
No one wants to do business with us.
Who's here?
Herr Strobl!
"Herr Strobl."
Tobias.
Jonas, my dear friend.
I feel so sorry
for what's happened to your family.
How's your brother?
Well, I wish it were me instead of him.
Yeah. I hear rumours.
Business is suffering.
Well, it's Vienna.
Rumours can kill a man.
No one wants to be linked to a scandal.
Please.
Isaak is innocent, of course.
Of course.
But the stain can't easily
be washed from us.
So
how can I help you, Tobias?
Jonas, we've been friends
for such a long time.
I've come here to help you, if I can.
That is very kind of you.
But of course.
Thank you.
Brother Maxwell?
You need to get into the sacristy?
They're all in the refectory.
Come with me. Quickly.
Here.
Has the room been cleaned?
No.
Well, he didn't die here.
I saw his body, right here.
There are no blood traces.
You batter a man with heavy stones
the skin punctures
there's a great deal of trauma.
There would be blood spray everywhere.
Is there any other way into the sacristy?
No, only through the chapel.
No blood there either.
Someone smuggled his body into here.
I need to find out where he was murdered.
Brother David?
Yes?
Brother Maxwell.
From Oxford?
I heard you were here.
Everyone is talking.
I
wondered if I could have a herbal remedy.
My my joints are sore,
it's a long journey.
Of course. Give me a moment.
I'll find you something.
I heard you lost one of the brethren.
Oh, stupid!
Brother Stanislav.
Our sacrist.
He was attacked.
Right here in the monastery.
Everyone is still rather
shaken up about it.
No one knows
how it happened or who the killer is.
I wonder
may I be permitted to say
a prayer for him?
Perhaps offer a blessing?
What was he like?
Were you close to him?
These men are my family,
my brothers.
Even Stanislav?
They say he was an extremist.
I gave him the same care I would give
to any of the others.
He was sick, last winter.
Took to his bed with fever.
I worked hard to banish the sickness.
The fever clung on for weeks.
What are those scratches?
Is there any reason he would be outside?
Beyond the walls?
Well? How's the new outfit?
Bit scratchy on the backside?
Did you come here to taunt me
or do you want to learn what I've found out?
No reason we can't do both.
Oskar!
Sorry.
Sorry.
He didn't die in the sacristy.
He was killed in the parkland.
What makes you think so?
I've seen the blood.
This rain may have washed away
the evidence.
Wait for me at the entrance.
I'll show you.
Why go to the trouble
of dragging the body back inside?
I know, it's odd.
Nobody saw his body being moved.
The gates are sealed at night.
There's no blood on any of the floors.
It's like a magic trick.
We need a map.
A detailed plan of the monastery.
There must be another way in.
Catacombs burial chambers.
Something else, Oskar,
something more significant.
What?
A man leaves the safety
of the monastery walls
and walks willingly to his death.
What does that tell you about his state
of mind when he came out here?
You obviously want
to answer your own question.
I've known you long enough, Max.
He was meeting someone he knew.
Someone he thought was a friend.
Then it's not Isaak Korngold.
No. It's not.
What's that?
Look
I can't read it.
"Enemy."
It says the word "enemy".
In which language?
Hebrew.
Saskia.
Fraulein Weiss.
Jonas.
What's happening?
Why is everyone leaving?
Things are moving fast, Clara.
I can't afford to keep them.
Is it really that bad?
Killing a man in holy orders.
The bank is mired in scandal.
Nobody wants to do business with us.
Max can be very helpful
talking to the police for us.
I am very grateful to him
but I don't want to drag
anyone down with us.
What?
What is it?
I remember
not so long ago, Max was drowning
in a scandal of his own and I was
less than generous.
Maybe I deserve what's happening to me.
No!
No, no, no, no.
- Herr Korngold?
- What?
He's here.
Show him to the boardroom,
would you, Saskia?
Somebody made me an offer
to buy the business.
You're not thinking of selling up?
Why didn't you talk to me first?
Uh, forgive me intruding again,
Brother.
You want something from the infirmary?
Actually, I
I wanted to talk to you.
I'm curious.
Did Stanislav have enemies?
"Blessed are you when men revile you."
Stanislav was
different from the others.
Different? How?
He had
a very rare gift.
A gift?
I am a healer, Brother.
I use God's blessings
to minister to the sick.
When Stanislav was at death's door
last winter, I tried to save him.
But
I failed.
Then
how did he recover from his sickness?
I am unable to explain it.
Stanislav believed that he was touched
by a power that came directly from heaven.
A "power"?
The sacristy.
He believed there was power there
greater than you or I could ever imagine.
I grind herbs to make medicine
but it's no miracle.
You're saying Stanislav
was touched by a miracle?
Jesus was led into the wilderness
and tempted.
The devil, dressed in his finery, said,
"Show me a miracle."
Excuse me, Brother.
A magic trick?
The body was somehow
smuggled down into the sacristy.
I need architectural plans.
Do you maybe?
I don't have those sorts of records
in the archives.
What about the city museum?
Department of Iconography.
Of course.
200 years old,
designed by Hildebrandt
this is a plan of the building
that houses all the icons.
There must be a way inside
that we don't know about.
Churches are some of the richest institutions
in the Empire.
Heiligenkron Abbey
has many priceless treasures in its vaults.
Believe me, it's impregnable.
You knew Brother Stanislav?
A little.
I invited him
to talk to the Historical Society.
His views were extreme, to say the least.
Do you think he was a man
who made a lot of enemies?
Are you a Catholic, Inspector?
Lapsed.
Religion is less and less fashionable,
it seems.
I spent my life studying religious icons
but most of them
no longer have any real potency.
Stanislav was a man
of deep and unshakeable faith.
It's bound to have made him unpopular
in a world filled only with
rationalists.
There's something here.
A sacristy was sometimes designed
with a watching chamber.
A secret room to keep watch
over the treasures.
A watching chamber?
Mm.
Only the sacrist would know about it.
It wouldn't be in the architectural plans.
It would just be a secret passed down
between the generations.
It's not much to go on,
but it's the best that I can do.
I'll visit the sacristy again.
I have something for you.
Stanislav burned some papers.
This is all that was left.
This bit of gilding.
Hm.
From a letterhead?
He kept all his correspondence.
Why burn that one?
You need to find
the owner of that crest.
What are you doing?
Why are you following me?
I'm sorry, I
It was you.
I heard you pacing outside my room.
What are you trying to find?
He asked me to watch out for you.
Who? Who asked you?
Your friend.
Inspector Rheinhardt,
he said you often get into trouble.
He mentioned something
about the Ferris wheel.
Mm-hm?
Ah, Rheinhardt.
You wanted to see me, sir?
The Korngold business
has been sold to new owners.
Yes, I read about it.
Well, I have just been contacted by them.
They discovered this
in their private papers.
A document in Hebrew.
I've had an expert translate it.
"Yimakh shemo."
A Hebrew curse.
Recognise the name that follows?
"Stanislav."
It was hidden in their private safe,
evidence of some ancient Jewish ritual.
We have to charge Korngold at once.
What's the matter, Rheinhardt?
You're not convinced?
There is some kind of conspiracy
at the monastery.
What?
I sent someone in, undercover
disguised as one of the brethren.
Who's the officer?
Dr Liebermann.
Liebermann?
He was willing to assist.
And you let him?
Sir
A Jew in a monastery!
A personal friend of the accused.
What if the papers got a hold of this?
Commissioner
You're a fool, Rheinhardt.
They're all bound to stick together.
They?
How can we trust a word that Liebermann
says when the accused is another Jew?
What is it you're looking
for this time?
The answer to a riddle.
We don't have much time.
What is it?
I'm not sure.
Maybe nothing
Dear God in heaven.
Look at the blood.
Stanislav's final journey.
You didn't know this place existed?
No.
Two lines in the dust.
The body was dragged by someone.
Mystery solved. No magic trick.
We've found it, Oskar.
We've found the blood trail.
Brother, will you hear my confession?
Oh, sorry, forgive me. But
Dominus noster Jesus Christus te.
We found it, Oskar,
we found the blood trail.
The footprints
in the dust lead only one way.
Whoever dragged his body
stayed within these walls.
You're telling me
it was one of the brethren?
And I think I know who, Oskar.
Brother, I need to talk to you.
Not now. Not here.
I believe Stanislav's body
was dragged into the sacristy.
Perhaps by the same man who attacked him.
You can't believe that I'm responsible
Or perhaps by someone
who discovered him hurt
and believed a miracle might cure him.
You told me it was a place of miracles.
Meet me in the infirmary, after nightfall.
Oremus.
You were right, Miss Lydgate.
A watching chamber,
built right under the monastery.
Extraordinary.
Someone dragged him back inside.
We suspect the infirmarian
knows more than he's telling.
Murder! Murder!
Another corpse.
You can no longer bar me
from your doors, Father.
Multiple stab wounds.
Rather unusual weapon.
Saint Cassian.
Another martyr's death.
What happened?
Who discovered him?
He was found by Brother Maxwell here.
Perhaps Brother Maxwell and I
can speak in private.
Excuse us, please.
Brother Maxwell.
Do you think David was involved?
I think David dragged the body back inside
into the sacristy
hoping for a miracle.
Stanislav believed that place
had special powers.
I think David had begun to believe it too.
Oskar, I've been so stupid.
He tried to tell me what he had witnessed.
The devil, dressed in his finery,
said, "Show me a miracle."
He saw someone in the park that night.
He saw the killer.
Have you examined the gilding?
- Yeah.
- And?
No match as yet. Why?
Someone wrote to Stanislav.
A letter he subsequently burned.
Why write to a sacrist?
Someone wanted access
to one of the treasures inside.
There's something in that vault
that has the power to make men kill.
We need to find what's missing.
Inspector?
I think you need to see this.
So, you want to go
on a damned treasure hunt?
Stanislav had access to the vaults.
That might be a motive for murder.
We already have our motive.
- Sir?
- The curse!
Korngold's hatred of the monk.
It all adds up. The ritualistic murders.
Christian martyrs killed by their enemies.
The Hebrew runes left by their bodies.
It's some sort of Jewish ritual.
Isaak Korngold is behind bars, sir.
He couldn't possibly
have done the second murder.
He had an accomplice.
Someone else returned to kill the witness.
Dr Liebermann believes
Liebermann was in the monastery.
He must be considered a suspect.
And the warrant to search the sacristy?
If one of the treasures has been stolen
we'll look like fools if we missed it.
I need the help of experts.
We're going into the vault.
What are you trying to find, Inspector?
A miracle.
Where's Max?
He didn't tell you where he was going?
A woman in the monastery!
You are permitted in very few places.
Ah.
I assume this is just a hobby.
Otherwise, you and I
won't have much of a future.
Extraordinary! These treasures
shouldn't be locked up here in the dark.
They belong in a museum.
You're seriously expecting the Catholic
church to surrender all its secrets?
So, nothing is missing.
Everything as it should be.
Here's something.
The lock is scratched.
It's been opened recently.
"Sanguis et aqua"?
Blood and water.
- Miss Lydgate.
- Hm?
Do you mind?
Thank you.
Please be careful with it.
Nothing mentioned in the inventory?
No.
So, something obviously has been taken.
Do you know what it is?
No.
I do.
I recognise the impression.
Look, here.
No, it can't be
The Holy Lance.
The lance that pierced the skin of Christ,
hidden here in the sacristy.
Is it believable?
There are scores of such relics
all over the world.
I'm not convinced by its authenticity.
It would most likely be a fake one.
It doesn't matter if it's real or not.
All that matters is what people believe.
That's what gives it its power.
If someone thought it was here
and if they thought it was real
what would they do to gain possession of it?
We've found our motive.
Gilded letterhead.
Someone wrote to Stanislav,
eager to see this relic.
He smuggled it out to show them.
Jesus tempted in the wilderness.
But he made a grave mistake.
Yes, he was killed and the relic was stolen.
We have our answer, Oskar.
I think it's time we went to confession.
Father, my name is Liebermann.
Max Liebermann.
Is this some sort of trick?
Dr Liebermann was sent here under
the supervision of the Leopoldstadt police.
Thank you.
Brother, you vouched for him personally.
Yes, but I was eager
to find Stanislav's killer.
I helped Brother Maxwell live here among us.
You don't need to call me "Brother" anymore.
Though I think I might use it
in the foreseeable future.
You brought an imposter into God's house?
I was determined to find the truth, Father.
Stanislav deserved no less.
You have disobeyed me.
You have disobeyed your vow.
Yes.
And I truly beg your forgiveness.
We need to know about the lance, Father.
The Holy Lance
that pierced the flesh of Christ.
The monastery was in possession of it.
You've kept it a secret all this time.
Who knew that it was here,
other than you and Stanislav?
You don't understand, Inspector.
There are hundreds,
thousands of so-called religious artefacts.
Bones claiming to be the fingers
of our Lord.
Wood from the cross,
nails that pierced his skin.
All over the world, people's faith
is being exploited by charlatans.
You don't believe in its power?
Unusual, for an abbot.
Its power is to make innocent men
into fools.
Worshipping false idols.
So, you ordered it to be hidden.
And you prevented us from investigating
a murder within these walls.
I knew you had someone in custody.
I thought that it was over.
I never dreamed
that the killer was still out there.
Stanislav didn't agree with your appraisal?
He fell ill, some months ago.
Brother David was unable to help him,
and then
Stanislav went into the sacristy
one night and
Was apparently healed by a miracle.
After that, after he was cured
he was convinced of its authenticity.
He preached about the miracle
to everyone who would listen.
Some of the brethren were persuaded,
even David.
But not you, Father?
I
I ordered it to remain locked away.
I didn't want the sepulchre
turned into a circus.
He disobeyed you.
Broke his vows.
Shared the secret
with someone on the outside.
That's why Stanislav was killed.
He left himself vulnerable
to someone else's greed.
That relic has a power
yes
but not for good.
Sir?
What have you got for me?
May I?
Yimakh shemo. The Jewish curse.
Found at Korngold's office.
What if it wasn't real?
What if it was all fabricated?
There's dozens of cases in history
of Jews being wrongfully accused.
It's called a "blood libel".
Jews falsely charged
with murdering Christians, unjustly executed.
Medieval crimes that have been stage-managed,
just to frame someone.
Look at the evidence.
So you think our killer is a historian?
This dagger's a fake.
A good one, though.
How can you be sure?
Very few layers of dirt and corrosion.
I'll write to the museum in Graz
and tell them.
Well done, Miss Lydgate.
What's on your mind, Max?
I'm thinking
about the profile of the killer.
Someone naive enough
to believe in the power of miracles?
Someone who, in this cold,
rational world
still clings on to the notion
that God is mightier than man.
Oh, I'm late.
Promised Amelia I'd take her out tonight.
My penance for taking holy vows.
She's very punctual.
Forgive me, Oskar. Good night.
Good night, Brother Maxwell.
Ladies and gentlemen,
the museum is closing.
Please make your way to the entrance,
the museum is closing.
Ow!
What's this?
Something very precious to me,
Miss Lydgate.
Sorry, the museum is closed.
- It's only two minutes past.
- No, no, no.
Well, I'm here for Miss Lydgate.
The museum is closed.
Try the staff entrance.
You want to know
what I'm planning for you?
"Is he mad enough to kill me?"
I suppose there is a kind of madness
that took hold of me.
The Holy Lance
that pierced the skin of Christ.
The spear of destiny
that brought forth blood and water.
Modern science is a terrible scourge.
We have become a nation of rationalists.
I've devoted my entire life
to the study of religious relics
always hoping, always wanting to believe
that they were more
than just folk tales and fairy stories.
And then I met the monk
Stanislav.
He swore to me he had found
a true miracle.
I wrote to him, asking to see it.
I tell you
I was powerless in its presence.
I had to possess it.
I suppose you can call it
a kind of religious fervour.
Is it madness?
Dr Liebermann would doubtless
have a name for it.
I didn't mean to kill him.
I pushed him.
He tripped, and
it happened in a moment.
And now I
I have no choice but to run away.
Now you know.
Perhaps, before I do,
together we could find out the truth.
Can we turn our backs
on a chance to witness a miracle,
Miss Lydgate?
When I cut your flesh,
then holy water will spring forth.
Priel?
Get away from her!
Don't touch it.
Don't you dare touch it!
Max.
I'm fine. Get him. Go after him!
Priel!
I didn't mean to kill him,
I swear!
And Brother David?
I'm not responsible for that!
I absolved myself!
I confessed my sin!
To whom? Who did you tell,
Professor?
Professor?
No!
Priel told someone else
about what happened with Stanislav.
Someone else is
You're not telling me
we've got the wrong man?
Someone else is involved, Oskar.
Who else benefitted?
Who had an opportunity
to leave the Hebrew letters?
If you thought you'd killed someone,
who would you tell?
A mentor?
A friend?
David told me who he saw that night.
"The devil dressed in finery."
Oskar, only one person had the opportunity
to plant that curse in Korngold's office.
Gentlemen? How can I help you?
Good evening, Herr Strobl.
Good evening.
You've taken over the business here.
Yes
I'm now the major shareholder.
It's a pity the Korngold brothers' reputation
must suffer, but
I was able to take on their debts.
You mean you've capitalised
on their losses.
Why not?
This is business.
He came to you, didn't he?
Excuse me?
Priel.
He came to you as his patron,
as his
closest friend.
When he thought he'd killed the monk
he came to you that very same night,
and confessed it all.
And it was so easy for you.
You remembered the threat Isaak Korngold
had made and in that moment
you conceived of a plan
to make it look as if Korngold
was responsible, instead of your friend.
What did you do?
Go back to the parkland?
Take a stone and make it look
exactly like the stoning
that Korngold threatened to inflict on him?
You scratched the Hebrew letters
into the rock
to lead us straight to Korngold.
And, of course, you let your good friend
Priel believe he was the killer.
But you finished Stanislav off
just so you could lay your hands
on this business.
And, of course,
you were told there had been a witness.
You knew you had to act.
Good evening, Brother David.
This is absurd.
You have no proof of any of this.
We have the document you forged,
the blood libel.
And we have a scientist
who can extract evidence of the author
from any parchment.
You tried to stab me, alright
Your hat.
Inspector.
I'm sorry to intrude, Max.
I shouldn't really be here.
No, it's fine. I was just on my way out.
I'm meeting someone for dinner.
I won't keep you a moment. I just, I
Isaak was released from custody today.
My carriage just seemed
to steer its way over here.
I had to see you alone one last time.
I
Um
There's no need to thank me.
I was happy to do it.
Well, not happy
Jonas doesn't know I'm here.
And he wouldn't have wanted me to come.
Drive.