SetinPraguein1953thissuspensefulcrimedramafollowshonestpolicecaptainHakl(Trojan)andhisinvestigationofaseeminglymundanerobberyatagoldsmith’sshop.InafraughtpoliticalclimatethisincidentisseizedonbytheCommunistauthoritieswhorequireasmokescreenfortheirownfargranderdeception.OntheordersofStateSecurityHakl’sinvestigationistakenoverbyMajorZenke(SebastianKochTheLivesofOthers)anEastGermanspecialistwhohasbeentoldto“prove”thatthegoldwasstolenbytheJewishcommunitytofinanceZionistterrorism.ButtheexperiencedHakl’sinstinctsputshimonthepathofanaltogetherdifferentstory.Canonejustmanstanduptotheforcesofanincreasinglyoppressivestate?Theshadowofthepastloomsoverallinvolvedandthiscanmakeaculpritofavictimandaheroofaculprit.SomberandatmosphericthisisamovingandcompellingstudyoftheStalinistera.