As part of his convalescence after an operation, Commissioner Bärlach, suffering from cancer, reads an old American magazine with a photograph of the war criminal Dr. Nehle, who performed operations without anaesthesia in the Stutthof concentration camp near Danzig. His attending physician, Hungertobel, recognises in the photograph Dr Emmenberg, a former colleague from school, who bears a striking resemblance to the aforementioned Nehle. The Commissioner therefore decides to launch an investigation into his latest case.