It's May 29, 1945, in a large house in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands.

55-year-old artist Han von Measurer closes his eyes and lets the water cascade over his head.

He's trying to wash away the throbbing pain in his temples.

Last night, Han drank far too much, and this morning he's paying the price.

Han groans as the pounding in his head is replaced by a banging on his front door.

He climbs out of the shower and puts on a row.

Han moves to the hallway and clutches the oak banister as his wife Johanna unlocks the door.

But as soon as she's turned the key, the door flies open and four uniform police officers barge

past her and into the foyer.

Han races down the stairs to protest as an officer snaps handcuffs on his wife's

wrists. But as Han reaches the bottom step, another officer grabs his shoulder and presses

him against the wall. Through an open doorway, Han can see into his art studio, and there,

the other two officers are already rifling through Han's belongings. They examine an almost finished painting on an easel, and then carefully remove the artwork hanging on the walls.

Spotting Han watching on, the senior officer steps out of the studio and then tells Han that he's under arrest for aiding and abetting the recently defeated Nazis, and if he's found guilty,

the penalty could be death.

Han von Measeren will soon discover the reason he's been detained on such a serious charge.

According to investigators, he's allowed a painting by famous Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer

to fall into Nazi hands.

But the charge leaves Han in a quandary, because to defend himself, Han will have to reveal a closely guarded secret

that the paintings he sold for vast profits are not real Vermeers, but elaborate forgeries he made himself,

years before his arrest on May 29, 1945.

I was a bit curious, so I went looking for an answer. Does Santa Claus say ho, ho,

...