Episode 5 | Darkness Rising Part 1

♪ [Watch ticking] ♪ [Camera shutter clicks] ♪ [Bell tolling, wings flutter] ♪ ♪ Max: 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.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [Pipe organ playing] ♪ ♪ ♪ Boy: Get you!

Catch you!

Come on!

[Grunts] Get him!

[Boy whimpering] [Crying out in pain] Jew boy!

Ohh!

Ohh!

Hey, you!

Get away from there!

I'll call the police!

[Groaning] What have they done to you?

♪ ♪ [Overlapping chatter] [Distant piano playing light classical music] Mendel: 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're the psychoanalyst.

Uh, excuse me.

Heh!

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.

Mmm, exactly.

Why would religious relics be of interest to you?

Amelia: Good evening, Max.

Good evening, Herr Liebermann.

Man: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Historical Society lecture, generously funded by my good friend, Tobias Strobl.

Man: 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'm delighted to introduce our speaker for this evening, Brother Stanislav from Heilig Krone 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 artifacts and-- Man 2: He's a bigot!

A dangerous fanatic!

The only thing that comes out of his pen is pure poison.

[Breathing heavily] You wrote an article in a 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!

Man: You would deny our guest the chance to speak?

Man 2: I 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?

[Scoffs] 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."

Strobl: 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.

[Scoffs] 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... Man 2: "And he shall die, for he sought to make you stray from the Lord, your God!"

[All gasp] [Crash] Ladies and gentlemen, please, please!

[Audience murmuring] ♪ [Mendel sighs] Still awake, darling?

Rachel: 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.

Hmm.

Well, anyway, good night.

[Kiss] Max: Good night.

Want a brandy, Max?

Um, no, thank you.

I--I think I'll just go up-- Sorry about this evening.

Sure?

[Glasses clink] Odd chap, that heckler in the crowd.

I know him from the Schul.

He's one of Korngold's brothers.

Isaak.

[Sighs] 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.

Good night.

[Footsteps retreat] 'Night.

[Clock ticking] [Distant monks singing indistinctly] [Owl hoots outside] [Singing continues] [Singing ends] [Distant clank] [Suspenseful music playing] ♪ ♪ Who is it?

[Key clanks from lock] ♪ Brother.

Are you hurt?

♪ [Gasps] [Whispers] Stanislav.

Dear God in Heaven!

[Breath quivering] [Trotting hoofbeats] [Horse grunts] Haussmann.

Inspector.

Haussmann: His name is Brother Stanislav, a young monk.

He's been savagely beaten.

The monk who found him says he hardly recognized him.

Haussmann: This is the abbot.

Oskar: Inspector Rheinhardt, Leopoldstadt Police.

Father Abbot.

Inspector.

The Lord, our God will inflict His curses upon us.

♪ ♪ ♪ Father: 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?

Monk: 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 postmortem.

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.

Killian: Please.

Wake Dr. Jäger.

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?

Father: 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.

Oskar: And that made him unpopular?

[Footsteps approach] I was asleep.

Dr. Jäger, this is Brother David, the infirmarian.

You're not permitted to take the body, but at least you can have a look at him.

[Inhales] I'd say this man was beaten to death with stones.

Father: A martyr's death.

What?

Saint 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.

Oskar: Have any of the doors been broken down?

Haussmann: Maybe someone climbed the wall, found an open window.

Father: I need to tell them.

Oskar: What?

What is it?

Father: 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?

Father: We didn't take it seriously.

[Oskar sighs] Father Abbot, who threatened him?

I need a name.

[Monks vocalize] [Rainfall] [Horse nickering] Three hours.

Oh, no.

Was it agony?

Yes.

Three hours I had to be apart from you.

Jonas: My back work was punishing me.

Clara: Inspector Rheinhardt.

What are you doing here?

Sorry to disturb you, Fräulein 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.

Isaak: 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!

Let me go!

Jonas: Now, now, there must be a misunderstanding.

No, no, please.

Isaak, Isaak!

Take your hands off him!

Forgive me, Fräulein.

Likely a misunderstanding!

♪ Tell me about Brother Stanislav.

Do you know him?

I've met him.

Where?

Isaak: 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!

Hmm.

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?

[Crash, audience gasps] You're a suspect in a murder inquiry.

You need to get yourself a lawyer.

[Scoffs] They threw Daniel in the lion's den, and the King said, "May the God that you serve come and rescue you."

[Footsteps ascending] Jonas: Inspector?

I demand you let me see him.

Your brother has been arrested for murder.

Your demands mean nothing.

Fräulein.

[Footsteps retreat] Max: In a week, then, Herr Schulz.

Clara.

Max.

[Exhales] Uh, please, uh, 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.

[Scoffs] You say it like they're easily interchangeable.

Hmm.

I'm sorry-- How are you keep-- I'm 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, and 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.

♪ [Exhales sharply] ♪ 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.

[Sighs] Max, it's a straightforward murder case.

There is no puzzle for you to solve.

Well, at least let me talk to him.

♪ [Sighs] ♪ That's usually when things start to unravel.

♪ [Door opens] Ahem.

Max: 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 I 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.

[Door closes, locks] He threatened Stanislav in public.

Few days later, the monk ends up dead, exactly the way Korngold predicted.

He has no alibi, no defense.

What?

He made that threat in front of dozens of witnesses.

You really think, if he planned to kill him, he would have issued a public declaration first?

This is not a psychology lesson.

[Scoffs] He's a deeply pious man, Oskar.

He's devout.

It's unlikely he's a killer.

History's 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.

Oskar: Oh, Max.

Oh, really?

♪ [Bell pealing] ♪ ♪ [Pipe organ playing] The police are here again.

They're riding up to the gates.

What are you going to tell them?

♪ They are not priests.

We don't need to unburden our souls to them.

♪ Stay silent.

♪ [Pipe organ stops playing] [Bell dinging] [Door locks] 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-- [Inner door unlocks] [Footsteps retreat] [Sighs] Father: The Vienna Police have been barred from our gates.

None of you are permitted to speak with them or discuss this matter further.

Father: A suspect is in custody.

There is nothing to be gained from intruding on our peace.

Is that clear?

Mendel: Max, Clara's told us everything.

Have you been to the police?

Yes, I spoke with Inspector Rheinhardt.

Mendel: And?

What happened?

The investigation is ongoing.

Leah: Wh-what does that mean?

Means I told them Isaak isn't responsible.

Of course he isn't.

Leah: And so?

Are they going to release him?

[Max sighs] The investigation is ongoing.

Oh, 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.

Rachel: Yes, perhaps you should go home, get some rest.

Max: I'll telephone as soon as I hear anything.

Rachel: And good luck with your plans for the wedding.

Leah: Uh, good-- good-bye, darling.

We're all praying for his safe return.

[Whispers] Max.

Have you seen this?

That family's reputation is going to suffer.

Korngold's 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.

[Kiss] You still feel responsible for her.

♪ [Footsteps retreat] ♪ [Sighs] 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 faster.

Yes, of course, sir, but-- But?

Rheinhardt... you're still in the doghouse after that mess with the Russians.

The evidence is all circumstantial.

Hmm.

We have nothing to put him at the scene.

The city demands justice!

Don't drag your feet.

[Footsteps retreat] [Footsteps approach] Inspector?

Haussmann, can't you see I'm-- [drops newspaper] ♪ 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'm the chamberlain.

I make sure that the brethren have clean bedding and clean clothes.

That is my mission.

What was Stanislav's mission?

♪ [Whispers] He taught that the enemies of Christ should be struck down.

He was an extremist, discarded, 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.

♪ [Sighs] [Crunching] [Closes case, sighs] Only the chaplain confessionals are open.

The sacristy has been sealed.

And what are you going to do?

I applied to a judge for a legal order.

[Sighs] But that could take weeks.

Surely they have members of the order visiting from time to time.

I suppose.

And what if someone were to pose as one of the brethren?

[Chuckles] You want me to dress up Haussmann in a cassock and surplice?

[Inhales] No.

No.

No.

Oskar, listen, at school, I used to go to chapel with the other boys.

So?

Well, I didn't want to seem different, so I used to pretend that I was Catholic.

I've said the Latin catechism.

[Sighs] For God's sake, someone has to get inside.

[Sighs] You want to go undercover into a monastery?

Yes.

What about your practice, your patients?

Hmm, none are exactly queuing up at the door.

Oskar... [Sighs] 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.

Rachel: A conference?

Max: Mmm.

A symposium up in the mountains, near Semmering.

Well, how long will you be gone?

Oh, just a couple of days.

Poor Clara, and you said you would help her.

This does seem awfully callous, you going now.

[Sighs] Amelia: But I thought-- I mean, you said-- I'm sorry.

I thought we were going to the opera.

[Sighs] Forgive me.

What is it that's so urgent all of a sudden?

Uh...if I gave you a reason, I'd be lying.

Please don't ask me.

What's going on, Max?

You plead with me for week 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.

[Door opens, closes] [Bell dinging] [Door opens] 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.

[Distant monks singing indistinctly] [Kiss] [Distant singing continues] [Broom sweeping] Father: 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 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, tiny place.

I doubt you would know it.

No.

Indeed.

♪ This is for you, Brother.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [Unlocks door] ♪ [Locks door] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Just a moment, Herr Strobl.

I'll tell him you're here.

Yes, thank you.

Yeah.

I understand your reservations, but, please... please-- [sighs] Very well.

I'll have your account transferred.

Good day.

Someone to see you.

Uh, well, I have all the time in the world, it seems.

Another client canceling his account.

[Sighs] No one wants to do business with us.

[Sighs] 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, uh, I wish it were me instead of him.

Yeah.

I hear rumors.

Business is suffering?

Well, it's Vienna.

Rumors 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 have been friends for such a long time, and I've come here to help you, if I can.

That is very kind of you.

No.

But of course.

[Whispers] Thank you.

[Pipe organ fades in] ♪ [Distant monks singing, footsteps approach] ♪ [Whispers] 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.

No, 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 chamber.

No blood there, either.

♪ Someone smuggled his body into here.

♪ I need to find out where he was murdered.

♪ [Woman vocalizing in Latin] ♪ ♪ [Pipe organ playing] ♪ [Breathing heavily] [Dripping sounds] ♪ ♪ [Panting] [Footsteps approaching] [Footsteps retreating] [Distant monks singing indistinctly] [Birds chirping] [Singing continues] [Distant bell pealing] [Ceramic clinking] 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.

[Picks up bottle] I heard you lost one of the brethren.

[Gasps] Stupid!

[Picking up broken pieces] Brother Stanislav, a 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.

[Sets down pieces] [Sets down pieces] I wondered... 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?

♪ [Door creaks] [Distant bird squawking] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [Distant thunder rolling] ♪ [Thunder] ♪ [Door opens, closes] Well?

How's the new outfit?

Bit scratchy on the backside?

Did you come here just to taunt me, or do you want to learn what I 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.

Oskar: 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.

There's 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.

[Sighs] What's that?

Look.

♪ Can't read it.

Max: "Enemy."

It says the word "enemy."

In which language?

Hebrew.

♪ [Distant voices speaking indistinctly] ♪ ♪ ♪ Oskar: Apparently, you've been busy.

Max: I assume it's a case.

Yes, it's a case.

Are you going to tell me?

To order Vienna Blood on DVD Visit SHOP.PBS.ORG Or call 1-800-PLAY-PBS This program is also available on Amazon Prime Video Max: How can I help you?

Oskar: Hypothesis.

Amelia: Hopefully, we can extrapolate some information.

Oskar: She's dead Max Max: May I visit the scene?

Oskar: What exactly do you mean?