- Introduction
- Challenge 1A
- Challenge 1B
- Challenge 2A
- Challenge 2B
- Challenge 3A
- Challenge 3B
- Challenge 4A
- Challenge 4B
- Challenge 5A
- Challenge 5B
- Challenge 6A
- Challenge 6B
- Challenge 7A
- Challenge 7B
- Challenge 8A
- Challenge 8B
Dear Harry,
This is an unusual request and I know you are busy with other more important matters, but I think you might find this interesting, and there are a lot of very influential people who have a stake in the outcome of this particular investigation. I hope you can help.
The story began when workmen excavating a cellar in Montmartre found a packet of art materials under the floor. They were dated during the war and the documents they found with them all appear to be encrypted. They asked us to take a look and we managed to crack one of them. I have a feeling it might have been better if we hadn’t bothered. Anyway, we are where we are, and we are going to have to follow this through. Take a look at what we found and let me know what you think.
All the best, Phil.
“They look after me well here, but it is my gift that they treasure, not me, and if I stop working for them they will return me to Buchenwald. Each month another painting, another challenge. At first they praised my work, encouraged me to produce my own art, but as soon as they recognized my real talent the demands began. Now they have brought her to me, the most famous portrait in all history, and they demand a perfect copy. Four times I have taken brush to canvas and each time they have destroyed my work. The man from the university comes, bends over the portrait with his glass and passes judgment. The brush stroke in the hair is too coarse, the shadow is too deep, the light on the bodice is too harsh. Each time a flaw, each time their disappointment grows stronger and their frustration deepens. I am not sure how they do it, but the painting is brought to me every night and returned to its place on the gallery wall each dawn. They have taken me to see her in her home, to show me how my copy will look, hanging there in her place.
They try to hide their disappointment, but I am failing them and I know that if I fail completely then my life here is over. There is so much to say about my journey here, and I hope there will be more to say about my escape from this gentle prison, but I cannot risk them finding this letter. There is so much about me that they do not know, must never know, and so much to tell about her history too. Our stories are entwined and I must tell them together – a tale of two ghettos. If you find this letter, and if you can read it, then I am trusting you to do the right thing with the secret knowledge that it brings.
Sarah"
This is an unusual request and I know you are busy with other more important matters, but I think you might find this interesting, and there are a lot of very influential people who have a stake in the outcome of this particular investigation. I hope you can help.
The story began when workmen excavating a cellar in Montmartre found a packet of art materials under the floor. They were dated during the war and the documents they found with them all appear to be encrypted. They asked us to take a look and we managed to crack one of them. I have a feeling it might have been better if we hadn’t bothered. Anyway, we are where we are, and we are going to have to follow this through. Take a look at what we found and let me know what you think.
All the best, Phil.
“They look after me well here, but it is my gift that they treasure, not me, and if I stop working for them they will return me to Buchenwald. Each month another painting, another challenge. At first they praised my work, encouraged me to produce my own art, but as soon as they recognized my real talent the demands began. Now they have brought her to me, the most famous portrait in all history, and they demand a perfect copy. Four times I have taken brush to canvas and each time they have destroyed my work. The man from the university comes, bends over the portrait with his glass and passes judgment. The brush stroke in the hair is too coarse, the shadow is too deep, the light on the bodice is too harsh. Each time a flaw, each time their disappointment grows stronger and their frustration deepens. I am not sure how they do it, but the painting is brought to me every night and returned to its place on the gallery wall each dawn. They have taken me to see her in her home, to show me how my copy will look, hanging there in her place.
They try to hide their disappointment, but I am failing them and I know that if I fail completely then my life here is over. There is so much to say about my journey here, and I hope there will be more to say about my escape from this gentle prison, but I cannot risk them finding this letter. There is so much about me that they do not know, must never know, and so much to tell about her history too. Our stories are entwined and I must tell them together – a tale of two ghettos. If you find this letter, and if you can read it, then I am trusting you to do the right thing with the secret knowledge that it brings.
Sarah"
Ciphertext
LMIZ XPQT,
PWE KWCTL Q XIAA CX BPM WXXWZBCVQBG BW EWZS WV BPQA? Q PIL I KZIKS IB IVWBPMZ WN BPM VWBMA GWC NWCVL QV UWVBUIZBZM. QB TWWSA TQSM BPM WTLMAB QBMU QV BPM XIKSMB IVL Q BPWCOPB QB UQOPB JM I OWWL XTIKM BW ABIZB. QB UISMA AWUM AMVAM WN BPM JCKPMVEITL ZMNMZMVKM QV BPM TIBMZ VWBM GWC AMVB.
QB LQLV'B MFXTIQV BPM XIZQA TQVS AW Q AMVB I BMIU QVBW BPIB VMQOPJWCZPWWL BW OIBPMZ QVBMT JCB BPMG LQLV'B KWUM CX EQBP DMZG UCKP. EM LQL OMB WVM ZMXWZB BPIB BPM PWCAM PIL JMMV WEVML JG I OMZUIV NIUQTG JMNWZM BPM EIZ, JCB BPIB QB PIL JMMV BISMV WDMZ JG IV AA WNNQKMZ QV VQVMBMMV NWZBG WVM. ACZMBM ZMKWZLA ACOOMAB BPIB BPM NIUQTG KIUM NZWU EMQUIZ QV ICOCAB VQVMBMMV BPQZBG AMDMV, EPQKP QA ACOOMABQDM OQDMV BPM BQUQVO IVL BPM OMWOZIXPG, AW Q PIDM AMVB BPM BMIU BW JCKPMVEITL BW AMM EPIB BPMG KIV NQVL.
Q IU RCUXQVO BW KWVKTCAQWVA PMZM, JCB BPM XWZBZIQB AIZIP UMVBQWVA PIA BW JM BPM UWVI TQAI. Q PIDM JMMV BZGQVO BW OMB IKKMAA BW QB, JCB BPM NZMVKP ICBPWZQBQMA IZM AXWWSML. BPM BPMNB WN BPM XIQVBQVO JG XMZCOOQI JIKS QV VQVMBMMV MTMDMV PIA UILM BPMU DMZG AMVAQBQDM. BPM VIUM KPICLZWV EIA UMVBQWVML UWZM BPIV WVKM, IVL Q VMML AWUM BQUM BW TWWS QVBW BPM PQABWZG.
QN GWC PIDM IVG QVNTCMVKM IB ITT IB BPM UCAMCU Q BPQVS EM VMML I XZWXMZ MFIUQVIBQWV WN BPM XIQVBQVO, IVL Q VMML BW SVWE EPIB PIXXMVML BW QB LCZQVO BPM EIZ.
ITT BPM JMAB,
PIZZG
LMIZ XPQT,
PWE KWCTL Q XIAA CX BPM WXXWZBCVQBG BW EWZS WV BPQA? Q PIL I KZIKS IB IVWBPMZ WN BPM VWBMA GWC NWCVL QV UWVBUIZBZM. QB TWWSA TQSM BPM WTLMAB QBMU QV BPM XIKSMB IVL Q BPWCOPB QB UQOPB JM I OWWL XTIKM BW ABIZB. QB UISMA AWUM AMVAM WN BPM JCKPMVEITL ZMNMZMVKM QV BPM TIBMZ VWBM GWC AMVB.
QB LQLV'B MFXTIQV BPM XIZQA TQVS AW Q AMVB I BMIU QVBW BPIB VMQOPJWCZPWWL BW OIBPMZ QVBMT JCB BPMG LQLV'B KWUM CX EQBP DMZG UCKP. EM LQL OMB WVM ZMXWZB BPIB BPM PWCAM PIL JMMV WEVML JG I OMZUIV NIUQTG JMNWZM BPM EIZ, JCB BPIB QB PIL JMMV BISMV WDMZ JG IV AA WNNQKMZ QV VQVMBMMV NWZBG WVM. ACZMBM ZMKWZLA ACOOMAB BPIB BPM NIUQTG KIUM NZWU EMQUIZ QV ICOCAB VQVMBMMV BPQZBG AMDMV, EPQKP QA ACOOMABQDM OQDMV BPM BQUQVO IVL BPM OMWOZIXPG, AW Q PIDM AMVB BPM BMIU BW JCKPMVEITL BW AMM EPIB BPMG KIV NQVL.
Q IU RCUXQVO BW KWVKTCAQWVA PMZM, JCB BPM XWZBZIQB AIZIP UMVBQWVA PIA BW JM BPM UWVI TQAI. Q PIDM JMMV BZGQVO BW OMB IKKMAA BW QB, JCB BPM NZMVKP ICBPWZQBQMA IZM AXWWSML. BPM BPMNB WN BPM XIQVBQVO JG XMZCOOQI JIKS QV VQVMBMMV MTMDMV PIA UILM BPMU DMZG AMVAQBQDM. BPM VIUM KPICLZWV EIA UMVBQWVML UWZM BPIV WVKM, IVL Q VMML AWUM BQUM BW TWWS QVBW BPM PQABWZG.
QN GWC PIDM IVG QVNTCMVKM IB ITT IB BPM UCAMCU Q BPQVS EM VMML I XZWXMZ MFIUQVIBQWV WN BPM XIQVBQVO, IVL Q VMML BW SVWE EPIB PIXXMVML BW QB LCZQVO BPM EIZ.
ITT BPM JMAB,
PIZZG
Plaintext
Dear Phil,
How could I pass up the opportunity to work on this? I had a crack at another of the notes you found in Montmartre. It looks like the oldest item in the packet and I thought it might be a good place to start. It makes some sense of the Buchenwald reference in the later note you sent.
It didn't explain the Paris link so I sent a team into that neighbourhood to gather intel but they didn't come up with very much. We did get one report that the house had been owned by a German family before the war, but that it had been taken over by an SS officer in Nineteen Forty One. Surete records suggest that the family came from Weimar in August Nineteen Thirty Seven, which is suggestive given the timing and the geography, so I have sent the team to Buchenwald to see what they can find.
I am jumping to conclusions here, but the portrait Sarah mentions has to be the Mona Lisa. I have been trying to get access to it, but the French authorities are spooked. The theft of the painting by Peruggia back in Nineteen Eleven has made them very sensitive. The name Chaudron was mentioned more than once, and I need some time to look into the history.
If you have any influence at all at the Museum I think we need a proper examination of the painting, and I need to know what happened to it during the war.
All the best,
Harry
Dear Phil,
How could I pass up the opportunity to work on this? I had a crack at another of the notes you found in Montmartre. It looks like the oldest item in the packet and I thought it might be a good place to start. It makes some sense of the Buchenwald reference in the later note you sent.
It didn't explain the Paris link so I sent a team into that neighbourhood to gather intel but they didn't come up with very much. We did get one report that the house had been owned by a German family before the war, but that it had been taken over by an SS officer in Nineteen Forty One. Surete records suggest that the family came from Weimar in August Nineteen Thirty Seven, which is suggestive given the timing and the geography, so I have sent the team to Buchenwald to see what they can find.
I am jumping to conclusions here, but the portrait Sarah mentions has to be the Mona Lisa. I have been trying to get access to it, but the French authorities are spooked. The theft of the painting by Peruggia back in Nineteen Eleven has made them very sensitive. The name Chaudron was mentioned more than once, and I need some time to look into the history.
If you have any influence at all at the Museum I think we need a proper examination of the painting, and I need to know what happened to it during the war.
All the best,
Harry
Ciphertext
YWBRBSGG WG HC PS TCIBR SJSFMKVSFS, SJSB WB HVWG GHWBYWBU DZOQS. HVS UIOFRG HOYS OKOM OBMHVWBU HVSM QOB HVOH AWUVH PFWBU IG GCAS XCM, PIH HVSM QOB'H HOYS SJSFMHVWBU. GCAS CT HVS UWFZG GWBU, CHVSFG HSZZ GHCFWSG HC YSSD HVS TSOF OH HVS SRUS CT CIF VSOFHG - WH BSJSF QCADZSHSZM ZSOJSG IG - OBR AM DWQHIFSG OFS OZZ W VOJS HC CTTSF WB FSHIFB. DODSF WG DFSQWCIG OBR ACGH CT AM DOWBHWBUG OBR GYSHQVSG OFS VWRRSB CB HVS FCIUV KCCRSB GZOHG CT CIF PIBYG IBRSF HVS HVWB AOHHFSGGSG. RSHOWZ WG WADCGGWPZS, PIH KCIZR PS VOFR SJSB CB TWBS QOBJOG UWJSB HVS DWUASBHG W QOB AOYS TFCA HVS PFWQY RIGH, GCWZ OBR GQFIPPM KSSRG WB HVS QOAD. W OA HVOBYTIZ SJSFMROM TCF AM UFOBRTOHVSF'G WBGWGHSBQS HVOH OB OFHWGH GVCIZR PS OPZS HC AOYS HVSWF CKB QCZCIFG. KVSB W RC TWBR DODSF, W KFWHS. HVWG UFSOGM GQFOD KOG HVS KFODDWBU CB O UIOFR'G GOBRKWQV OBR HVS UFSOGS KCIZR AOYS WH WADCGGWPZS HC DOWBH CB SJSB WT W KOBHSR HC, PIH QVOFQCOZ TOZZSB TFCA O UIOFR'G PFONWSF GSSAG HC KCFY TWBS.
HVS CHVSFG WB AM RCFAWHCFM HSZZ AS HC FSQCFR OG AIQV OG W QOB. BCBS CT IG YBCK WT KS KWZZ ZWJS HC HSZZ HVS KCFZR CT HVS HSFFWPZS HVWBUG HVOH VODDSB VSFS, GC W RFOK OBR, KVSB W QOB, W KFWHS, OZKOMG KWHV CBS SOF ZWGHSBWBU TCF HVS QFIBQV CT O PCCH CB HVS UFOJSZ CIHGWRS. HVS GHCBSG OFS GVOFD OBR HVS GCZRWSFG RCB'H UWJS IG TCCHKSOF. WH WG OBCHVSF KOM HC VIAWZWOHS IG OBR KSOF IG RCKB, PIH HVSM RC BCH FSOZWGS HVOH HVWG ASOBG HVOH KS QOB OZKOMG HSZZ KVSB HVSM OFS QCAWBU. YWBRBSGG WG HC PS TCIBR SJSFMKVSFS VSFS, SJSB WB HVSWF GHIDWR QFISZHM.
YWBRBSGG WG HC PS TCIBR SJSFMKVSFS, SJSB WB HVWG GHWBYWBU DZOQS. HVS UIOFRG HOYS OKOM OBMHVWBU HVSM QOB HVOH AWUVH PFWBU IG GCAS XCM, PIH HVSM QOB'H HOYS SJSFMHVWBU. GCAS CT HVS UWFZG GWBU, CHVSFG HSZZ GHCFWSG HC YSSD HVS TSOF OH HVS SRUS CT CIF VSOFHG - WH BSJSF QCADZSHSZM ZSOJSG IG - OBR AM DWQHIFSG OFS OZZ W VOJS HC CTTSF WB FSHIFB. DODSF WG DFSQWCIG OBR ACGH CT AM DOWBHWBUG OBR GYSHQVSG OFS VWRRSB CB HVS FCIUV KCCRSB GZOHG CT CIF PIBYG IBRSF HVS HVWB AOHHFSGGSG. RSHOWZ WG WADCGGWPZS, PIH KCIZR PS VOFR SJSB CB TWBS QOBJOG UWJSB HVS DWUASBHG W QOB AOYS TFCA HVS PFWQY RIGH, GCWZ OBR GQFIPPM KSSRG WB HVS QOAD. W OA HVOBYTIZ SJSFMROM TCF AM UFOBRTOHVSF'G WBGWGHSBQS HVOH OB OFHWGH GVCIZR PS OPZS HC AOYS HVSWF CKB QCZCIFG. KVSB W RC TWBR DODSF, W KFWHS. HVWG UFSOGM GQFOD KOG HVS KFODDWBU CB O UIOFR'G GOBRKWQV OBR HVS UFSOGS KCIZR AOYS WH WADCGGWPZS HC DOWBH CB SJSB WT W KOBHSR HC, PIH QVOFQCOZ TOZZSB TFCA O UIOFR'G PFONWSF GSSAG HC KCFY TWBS.
HVS CHVSFG WB AM RCFAWHCFM HSZZ AS HC FSQCFR OG AIQV OG W QOB. BCBS CT IG YBCK WT KS KWZZ ZWJS HC HSZZ HVS KCFZR CT HVS HSFFWPZS HVWBUG HVOH VODDSB VSFS, GC W RFOK OBR, KVSB W QOB, W KFWHS, OZKOMG KWHV CBS SOF ZWGHSBWBU TCF HVS QFIBQV CT O PCCH CB HVS UFOJSZ CIHGWRS. HVS GHCBSG OFS GVOFD OBR HVS GCZRWSFG RCB'H UWJS IG TCCHKSOF. WH WG OBCHVSF KOM HC VIAWZWOHS IG OBR KSOF IG RCKB, PIH HVSM RC BCH FSOZWGS HVOH HVWG ASOBG HVOH KS QOB OZKOMG HSZZ KVSB HVSM OFS QCAWBU. YWBRBSGG WG HC PS TCIBR SJSFMKVSFS VSFS, SJSB WB HVSWF GHIDWR QFISZHM.
Plaintext
Kindness is to be found everywhere, even in this stinking place. The guards take away anything they can that might bring us some joy, but they can't take everything. Some of the girls sing, others tell stories to keep the fear at the edge of our hearts - it never completely leaves us - and my pictures are all I have to offer in return. Paper is precious and most of my paintings and sketches are hidden on the rough wooden slats of our bunks under the thin mattresses. Detail is impossible, but would be hard even on fine canvas given the pigments I can make from the brick dust, soil and scrubby weeds in the camp. I am thankful everyday for my grandfather's insistence that an artist should be able to make their own colours. When I do find paper, I write. This greasy scrap was the wrapping on a guard's sandwich and the grease would make it impossible to paint on even if I wanted to, but charcoal fallen from a guard's brazier seems to work fine.
The others in my dormitory tell me to record as much as I can. None of us know if we will live to tell the world of the terrible things that happen here, so I draw and, when I can, I write, always with one ear listening for the crunch of a boot on the gravel outside. The stones are sharp and the soldiers don't give us footwear. It is another way to humiliate us and wear us down, but they do not realise that this means that we can always tell when they are coming. Kindness is to be found everywhere here, even in their stupid cruelty.
Kindness is to be found everywhere, even in this stinking place. The guards take away anything they can that might bring us some joy, but they can't take everything. Some of the girls sing, others tell stories to keep the fear at the edge of our hearts - it never completely leaves us - and my pictures are all I have to offer in return. Paper is precious and most of my paintings and sketches are hidden on the rough wooden slats of our bunks under the thin mattresses. Detail is impossible, but would be hard even on fine canvas given the pigments I can make from the brick dust, soil and scrubby weeds in the camp. I am thankful everyday for my grandfather's insistence that an artist should be able to make their own colours. When I do find paper, I write. This greasy scrap was the wrapping on a guard's sandwich and the grease would make it impossible to paint on even if I wanted to, but charcoal fallen from a guard's brazier seems to work fine.
The others in my dormitory tell me to record as much as I can. None of us know if we will live to tell the world of the terrible things that happen here, so I draw and, when I can, I write, always with one ear listening for the crunch of a boot on the gravel outside. The stones are sharp and the soldiers don't give us footwear. It is another way to humiliate us and wear us down, but they do not realise that this means that we can always tell when they are coming. Kindness is to be found everywhere here, even in their stupid cruelty.
Ciphertext
AFEEZ,
D LFHARO DS F UFQVNE TDKA F UEDRSO DS KAR HNERKR FSO AR XVK PR FLLRHH KV KAR YDLKNER. VNE XNZH LFS AFQR UDUKRRS PDSNKRH TDKA ARE FUKRE LMVHDSX KDPR VS UEDOFZ. KARZ TVS’K FMMVT FSZKADSX KVV DSQFHDQR INK TR HAVNMO XRK HVPR YDLKNERH VU KAR LFSQFH FSO UEFPR, FSO KARZ FER VUUREDSX KV IEDRU NH VS KAR YFDSKDSX’H PVQRPRSKH ONEDSX KAR TFE.
ERLVEOH UEVP INLARSTFMO TRER HJRKLAZ INK TR KEFLRO KAR UFPDMZ KAFK VTSRO KAR FYFEKPRSK DS PVSKPFEKER. FH ZVN XNRHHRO, KARZ PVQRO KARER TARS INLARSTFMO VYRSRO. KAR UFKARE, OFSDRM, TFH GRTDHA, KAVNXA KARZ HRRP KV AFQR PFSFXRO KV LVSLRFM KAFK UFLK. HVPR VU KARP PVQRO KV HTDKCREMFSO, KAR VKAREH KV UEFSLR, KAVNXA KAR KRFP ODO ARFE ERYVEKH KAFK OFSDRM’H IEVKARE DS MFT TFH PVER VE MRHH UVELRO KV KFJR NY TVEJ FH F XNFEO DS KAR LFPY HV TR AFQR FSVKARE MDSJ IRKTRRS KAR UFPDMZ FSO VNE PZHKREDVNH FEKDHK.
AVT HAR XVK KV UEFSLR DH F PZHKREZ, KEFQRM UVE F ZVNSX GRTDHA XDEM TVNMO AFQR IRRS AFCFEOVNH NSMRHH HAR TFH LFEEZDSX VUUDLDFM YFYREH. TR TDMM KEZ KV KEFLJ OVTS KAR INLARSTFMO XNFEO KAVNXA D OVS’K AVMO NY PNLA AVYR. SV VSR TAV ODO KAFK GVI YNK DK VS KARDE LQ FUKRETFEOH.
YADM
AFEEZ,
D LFHARO DS F UFQVNE TDKA F UEDRSO DS KAR HNERKR FSO AR XVK PR FLLRHH KV KAR YDLKNER. VNE XNZH LFS AFQR UDUKRRS PDSNKRH TDKA ARE FUKRE LMVHDSX KDPR VS UEDOFZ. KARZ TVS’K FMMVT FSZKADSX KVV DSQFHDQR INK TR HAVNMO XRK HVPR YDLKNERH VU KAR LFSQFH FSO UEFPR, FSO KARZ FER VUUREDSX KV IEDRU NH VS KAR YFDSKDSX’H PVQRPRSKH ONEDSX KAR TFE.
ERLVEOH UEVP INLARSTFMO TRER HJRKLAZ INK TR KEFLRO KAR UFPDMZ KAFK VTSRO KAR FYFEKPRSK DS PVSKPFEKER. FH ZVN XNRHHRO, KARZ PVQRO KARER TARS INLARSTFMO VYRSRO. KAR UFKARE, OFSDRM, TFH GRTDHA, KAVNXA KARZ HRRP KV AFQR PFSFXRO KV LVSLRFM KAFK UFLK. HVPR VU KARP PVQRO KV HTDKCREMFSO, KAR VKAREH KV UEFSLR, KAVNXA KAR KRFP ODO ARFE ERYVEKH KAFK OFSDRM’H IEVKARE DS MFT TFH PVER VE MRHH UVELRO KV KFJR NY TVEJ FH F XNFEO DS KAR LFPY HV TR AFQR FSVKARE MDSJ IRKTRRS KAR UFPDMZ FSO VNE PZHKREDVNH FEKDHK.
AVT HAR XVK KV UEFSLR DH F PZHKREZ, KEFQRM UVE F ZVNSX GRTDHA XDEM TVNMO AFQR IRRS AFCFEOVNH NSMRHH HAR TFH LFEEZDSX VUUDLDFM YFYREH. TR TDMM KEZ KV KEFLJ OVTS KAR INLARSTFMO XNFEO KAVNXA D OVS’K AVMO NY PNLA AVYR. SV VSR TAV ODO KAFK GVI YNK DK VS KARDE LQ FUKRETFEOH.
YADM
Plaintext
Harry,
I cashed in a favour with a friend in the Surete and he got me access to the picture. Our guys can have fifteen minutes with her after closing time on Friday. They won’t allow anything too invasive but we should get some pictures of the canvas and frame, and they are offering to brief us on the painting’s movements during the war.
Records from Buchenwald were sketchy but we traced the family that owned the apartment in Montmartre. As you guessed, they moved there when Buchenwald opened. The father, Daniel, was Jewish, though they seem to have managed to conceal that fact. Some of them moved to Switzerland, the others to France, though the team did hear reports that Daniel’s brother in law was more or less forced to take up work as a guard in the camp so we have another link between the family and our mysterious artist.
How she got to France is a mystery, travel for a young Jewish girl would have been hazardous unless she was carrying official papers. We will try to track down the Buchenwald guard though I don’t hold up much hope. No one who did that job put it on their CV afterwards.
Phil
Harry,
I cashed in a favour with a friend in the Surete and he got me access to the picture. Our guys can have fifteen minutes with her after closing time on Friday. They won’t allow anything too invasive but we should get some pictures of the canvas and frame, and they are offering to brief us on the painting’s movements during the war.
Records from Buchenwald were sketchy but we traced the family that owned the apartment in Montmartre. As you guessed, they moved there when Buchenwald opened. The father, Daniel, was Jewish, though they seem to have managed to conceal that fact. Some of them moved to Switzerland, the others to France, though the team did hear reports that Daniel’s brother in law was more or less forced to take up work as a guard in the camp so we have another link between the family and our mysterious artist.
How she got to France is a mystery, travel for a young Jewish girl would have been hazardous unless she was carrying official papers. We will try to track down the Buchenwald guard though I don’t hold up much hope. No one who did that job put it on their CV afterwards.
Phil
Ciphertext
NKRSA ZYIUA YOTYG XKOYA VVUYK QOTJO TZNKO XUCTC GEHAZ ZNKXK OYROZ ZRKCG XSZNO TZNKQ OTJTK YYOXK IKOBK GTTGZ XOKYZ USGQK SKIUS LUXZG HRKHA ZYNKO YGLXG OJZNK YYULL OIKXC NUHXO TMYAY ZNKVG OTZOT MYOYI XAKRG TJIUC GXJRE GTJNK HKGZY GTTGO LSECU XQOYT UZMUU JKTUA MNNKO YYIGX KJZNG ZOLNK HKGZY SKNKS OMNZJ GSGMK SENGT JYGTJ ZUUYI GXKJZ UHKGZ NKXNA YHGTJ JGTOK RGHKG XULGS GTCNU ZUCKX YUBKX NOSOZ JUKYT ZSGZZ KXZNK XKGRV UCKXR OKYCO ZNZNK HARRE NKIUA RJNGB KAYGR RYNUZ GTJCK GRRQT UCOZJ GTOKR YIGXK YSKZU UHAZU TREHK IGAYK NKXKS OTJYS KULNK RSAZG TJZNG ZXKSO TJYSK ULZNK IGSVN KTKBK XYVKG QYTKB KXRUU QYSKO TZNKK EKGTJ TKBKX CGTZY GTEZN OTMLX USSKO ZNOTQ NKNGZ KYSKL UXHXO TMOTM ZNKYY ZUNOY NUAYK HAZLU XGTTG YYGQK NKHXO TMYSK CNGZO TKKJC NGZOS UYZTK KJOYG CGEUA ZULNK XKCNK TOGSM UTKGT TGYHK GZOTM YCORR YZUVG TJSGE HKJGT OKRCO RRYZU VNGZO TMSKH AZOGS CGZIN KJGRR JGEGT JZNKN UAYKO YRUIQ KJGZT OMNZZ NGZCO RRTUZ YZUVS KLXUS ZXEOT M
NKRSA ZYIUA YOTYG XKOYA VVUYK QOTJO TZNKO XUCTC GEHAZ ZNKXK OYROZ ZRKCG XSZNO TZNKQ OTJTK YYOXK IKOBK GTTGZ XOKYZ USGQK SKIUS LUXZG HRKHA ZYNKO YGLXG OJZNK YYULL OIKXC NUHXO TMYAY ZNKVG OTZOT MYOYI XAKRG TJIUC GXJRE GTJNK HKGZY GTTGO LSECU XQOYT UZMUU JKTUA MNNKO YYIGX KJZNG ZOLNK HKGZY SKNKS OMNZJ GSGMK SENGT JYGTJ ZUUYI GXKJZ UHKGZ NKXNA YHGTJ JGTOK RGHKG XULGS GTCNU ZUCKX YUBKX NOSOZ JUKYT ZSGZZ KXZNK XKGRV UCKXR OKYCO ZNZNK HARRE NKIUA RJNGB KAYGR RYNUZ GTJCK GRRQT UCOZJ GTOKR YIGXK YSKZU UHAZU TREHK IGAYK NKXKS OTJYS KULNK RSAZG TJZNG ZXKSO TJYSK ULZNK IGSVN KTKBK XYVKG QYTKB KXRUU QYSKO TZNKK EKGTJ TKBKX CGTZY GTEZN OTMLX USSKO ZNOTQ NKNGZ KYSKL UXHXO TMOTM ZNKYY ZUNOY NUAYK HAZLU XGTTG YYGQK NKHXO TMYSK CNGZO TKKJC NGZOS UYZTK KJOYG CGEUA ZULNK XKCNK TOGSM UTKGT TGYHK GZOTM YCORR YZUVG TJSGE HKJGT OKRCO RRYZU VNGZO TMSKH AZOGS CGZIN KJGRR JGEGT JZNKN UAYKO YRUIQ KJGZT OMNZZ NGZCO RRTUZ YZUVS KLXUS ZXEOT M
Plaintext
Helmut’s cousins are, I suppose, kind in their own way, but there is little warmth in the kindness I receive. Anna tries to make me comfortable but she is afraid - the SS officer who brings us the paintings is cruel and cowardly and he beats Anna if my work is not good enough. He is scared that if he beats me he might damage my hands, and too scared to beat her husband Daniel, a bear of a man who towers over him. It doesn’t matter, the real power lies with the bully. He could have us all shot and we all know it.
Daniel scares me too but only because he reminds me of Helmut and that reminds me of the camp. He never speaks, never looks me in the eye and never wants anything from me. I think he hates me for bringing the SS to his house, but for Anna’s sake he brings me what I need.
What I most need is a way out of here. When I am gone Anna’s beatings will stop and maybe Daniel will stop hating me. But I am watched all day and the house is locked at night. That will not stop me from trying.
Helmut’s cousins are, I suppose, kind in their own way, but there is little warmth in the kindness I receive. Anna tries to make me comfortable but she is afraid - the SS officer who brings us the paintings is cruel and cowardly and he beats Anna if my work is not good enough. He is scared that if he beats me he might damage my hands, and too scared to beat her husband Daniel, a bear of a man who towers over him. It doesn’t matter, the real power lies with the bully. He could have us all shot and we all know it.
Daniel scares me too but only because he reminds me of Helmut and that reminds me of the camp. He never speaks, never looks me in the eye and never wants anything from me. I think he hates me for bringing the SS to his house, but for Anna’s sake he brings me what I need.
What I most need is a way out of here. When I am gone Anna’s beatings will stop and maybe Daniel will stop hating me. But I am watched all day and the house is locked at night. That will not stop me from trying.
Ciphertext
LODDA RLSKS KKRDS CRNAQ AQKIB NAXSF QUSBY RQKMS RLRLQ INNOJ AMOKQ BIYEL RIESF QIYDR QCLEY AKOLQ OJOCL QBIRL SBEUY CLKLI MQJYB JQDYN RDOFS INQRV YRRLQ AUOBO EQJRI CORCL OKCDO PSBEI XFODB SKLXD IURLQ VOCGI XRLQP OSBRS BEOBJ XIYBJ LSELC IBCQB RDORS IBKIX NQOJR LQAJS JBIRQ TPQCR RLSKO BJMQO DQRDA SBERI EQRPQ DUSKK SIBRI TDOAL QDVYR RLQCY DORID SKBIR GQQBX IDLQD RIVQU IFQJO EOSBO XRQDR LQAQO DKIXR DOFQN JYDSB ERLQM ODIYD OEQBR KODQR DASBE RIRDO CGLQD UIFQU QBRKJ YDSBE RLORR SUQRI KQQML QBKLQ USELR LOFQV QQBVD IYELR RIUIB RUODR DQKLQ NQXRP ODSKI BRLQR MQBRA QSELR LIXOY EYKRZ YKRVQ XIDQR LQIYR VDQOG IXMOD OBJRD OFQNN QJSBO CIBFI AIXRL SDRAK QFQBR DYCGK RIOPN OCQCO NNQJC LOUVI DJSMS NNNQR AIYGB IMSXS LQODO BAUID QOVIY RLQDR DOFQN KOKXI DKODO LMQXI YBJIY RONSR RNQUI DQOVI YRLQD XOUSN AIBQI XRLQV YCLQB MONJB QSELV IYDKU QBRSI BQJOC IBBQC RSIBM SRLSR ONAML SCLSK KYEEQ KRSFQ ESFQB RLQPQ DYEES OKRID ARLIY ELQTO CRNAM LORRL QCIBB QCRSI BUSEL RVQSO UBIRK YDQUI DQMLQ BSLOF QRSUQ PLSN
LODDA RLSKS KKRDS CRNAQ AQKIB NAXSF QUSBY RQKMS RLRLQ INNOJ AMOKQ BIYEL RIESF QIYDR QCLEY AKOLQ OJOCL QBIRL SBEUY CLKLI MQJYB JQDYN RDOFS INQRV YRRLQ AUOBO EQJRI CORCL OKCDO PSBEI XFODB SKLXD IURLQ VOCGI XRLQP OSBRS BEOBJ XIYBJ LSELC IBCQB RDORS IBKIX NQOJR LQAJS JBIRQ TPQCR RLSKO BJMQO DQRDA SBERI EQRPQ DUSKK SIBRI TDOAL QDVYR RLQCY DORID SKBIR GQQBX IDLQD RIVQU IFQJO EOSBO XRQDR LQAQO DKIXR DOFQN JYDSB ERLQM ODIYD OEQBR KODQR DASBE RIRDO CGLQD UIFQU QBRKJ YDSBE RLORR SUQRI KQQML QBKLQ USELR LOFQV QQBVD IYELR RIUIB RUODR DQKLQ NQXRP ODSKI BRLQR MQBRA QSELR LIXOY EYKRZ YKRVQ XIDQR LQIYR VDQOG IXMOD OBJRD OFQNN QJSBO CIBFI AIXRL SDRAK QFQBR DYCGK RIOPN OCQCO NNQJC LOUVI DJSMS NNNQR AIYGB IMSXS LQODO BAUID QOVIY RLQDR DOFQN KOKXI DKODO LMQXI YBJIY RONSR RNQUI DQOVI YRLQD XOUSN AIBQI XRLQV YCLQB MONJB QSELV IYDKU QBRSI BQJOC IBBQC RSIBM SRLSR ONAML SCLSK KYEEQ KRSFQ ESFQB RLQPQ DYEES OKRID ARLIY ELQTO CRNAM LORRL QCIBB QCRSI BUSEL RVQSO UBIRK YDQUI DQMLQ BSLOF QRSUQ PLSN
Plaintext
Harry,
This is strictly eyes only. Five minutes with the ollady was enough to give our tech guys a headache. Nothing much showed under ultraviolet, but they managed to catch a scraping of varnish from the back of the painting and found high concentrations of lead. They did not expect this and we are trying to get permission to x-ray her, but the curator is not keen for her to be moved again after the years of travel during the war. Our agents are trying to track her movements during that time to see when she might have been brought to Montmartre. She left Paris on the twenty-eighth of August, just before the outbreak of war, and travelled in a convoy of thirty seven trucks to a place called Chambord. I will let you know if I hear any more about her travels. As for Sarah, we found out a little more about her family. One of the Buchenwald neighbours mentioned a connection with Italy, which is suggestive given the Peruggia story, though exactly what the connection might be I am not sure. More when I have time.
Phil
Harry,
This is strictly eyes only. Five minutes with the ollady was enough to give our tech guys a headache. Nothing much showed under ultraviolet, but they managed to catch a scraping of varnish from the back of the painting and found high concentrations of lead. They did not expect this and we are trying to get permission to x-ray her, but the curator is not keen for her to be moved again after the years of travel during the war. Our agents are trying to track her movements during that time to see when she might have been brought to Montmartre. She left Paris on the twenty-eighth of August, just before the outbreak of war, and travelled in a convoy of thirty seven trucks to a place called Chambord. I will let you know if I hear any more about her travels. As for Sarah, we found out a little more about her family. One of the Buchenwald neighbours mentioned a connection with Italy, which is suggestive given the Peruggia story, though exactly what the connection might be I am not sure. More when I have time.
Phil
Ciphertext
SYIEZ LKKZR IVPYI MPQVZ FSLML CKILV WMPFU BIVSZ PYHLZ EPMLE VULER LMOQP PYIHK FGIMM FKYIC HIVDI ITHCL ZEPFV LEZIC PYLPP YIGFK NIKZI MSFQC VOIJQ ZUBCW VIPIU PIVZG SIQMI VPYID MYISL MHLZE PIVFE LHFHC LKOFL KVKLP YIKPY LELMP KIPUY IVULE RLMLE VPYIH ZNDIE PMQMI VOWPY IDLMP IKSIK IRIKW VZGGI KIEPG KFDPY IFEIM SIQMI PFVLW EFSPY IWOKZ ENDIP YIHZN DIEPM ZLMBG FKMFG PUYLC BWOCF FVKIV MLENQ ZEILE VDQMP LKVWI CCFSF UYKIM GKFDP YIMFZ CMFGZ PLCWZ DZTPY IDSZP YCZEM IIVFZ COFZC IVLEV LNIVZ ELBIP PCIHK FHIKC WHKIH LKIVP YIMIH LZEPM LKIZE VZMPZ ENQZM YLOCI GKFDP YIFEI MQMIV FEPYI FKZNZ ELCLE VPYIU FHWZM DFKIC ZBICW PFOIO IPKLW IVOWL ULKIC IMMOK QMYMP KFBIF KLDZM HCLUI VYZNY CZNYP PYIHK FGIMM FKMII MJQZU BCWSY IEDWP ZKIVI WIMYL RIDZM MIVLP FEILE VZYLR IDLVI IEFQN YVICZ OIKLP IDZMP LBIMP FUFER ZEUIP YIDPF DFRID WMPQV ZFPFP YILPP ZUSYI KIPYI CZNYP ZMOIP PIKGK FDPYI KIZYL RILRZ ISFGP YIUZP WLEVL KIDZE VIKFG GKIIV FDPYI WMPZC CZEMZ MPPYL PZMCI IHYIK IZEPY IUICC LKOQP PYLPN ZRIMD ILEFP YIKGK IIVFD PYIGC ZUBIK ZENUL EVCIM ULMPV IIHMY LVFSM SYZUY YZVID WFPYI KSFKB ZGZUL EEFPO IGKII HIKYL HMMYI ULE
SYIEZ LKKZR IVPYI MPQVZ FSLML CKILV WMPFU BIVSZ PYHLZ EPMLE VULER LMOQP PYIHK FGIMM FKYIC HIVDI ITHCL ZEPFV LEZIC PYLPP YIGFK NIKZI MSFQC VOIJQ ZUBCW VIPIU PIVZG SIQMI VPYID MYISL MHLZE PIVFE LHFHC LKOFL KVKLP YIKPY LELMP KIPUY IVULE RLMLE VPYIH ZNDIE PMQMI VOWPY IDLMP IKSIK IRIKW VZGGI KIEPG KFDPY IFEIM SIQMI PFVLW EFSPY IWOKZ ENDIP YIHZN DIEPM ZLMBG FKMFG PUYLC BWOCF FVKIV MLENQ ZEILE VDQMP LKVWI CCFSF UYKIM GKFDP YIMFZ CMFGZ PLCWZ DZTPY IDSZP YCZEM IIVFZ COFZC IVLEV LNIVZ ELBIP PCIHK FHIKC WHKIH LKIVP YIMIH LZEPM LKIZE VZMPZ ENQZM YLOCI GKFDP YIFEI MQMIV FEPYI FKZNZ ELCLE VPYIU FHWZM DFKIC ZBICW PFOIO IPKLW IVOWL ULKIC IMMOK QMYMP KFBIF KLDZM HCLUI VYZNY CZNYP PYIHK FGIMM FKMII MJQZU BCWSY IEDWP ZKIVI WIMYL RIDZM MIVLP FEILE VZYLR IDLVI IEFQN YVICZ OIKLP IDZMP LBIMP FUFER ZEUIP YIDPF DFRID WMPQV ZFPFP YILPP ZUSYI KIPYI CZNYP ZMOIP PIKGK FDPYI KIZYL RILRZ ISFGP YIUZP WLEVL KIDZE VIKFG GKIIV FDPYI WMPZC CZEMZ MPPYL PZMCI IHYIK IZEPY IUICC LKOQP PYLPN ZRIMD ILEFP YIKGK IIVFD PYIGC ZUBIK ZENUL EVCIM ULMPV IIHMY LVFSM SYZUY YZVID WFPYI KSFKB ZGZUL EEFPO IGKII HIKYL HMMYI ULE
Plaintext
When I arrived the studio was already stocked with paints and canvas but the professor helped me explain to Daniel that the forgeries would be quickly detected if we used them. She was painted on a poplar board rather than a stretched canvas and the pigments used by the Master were very different from the ones we use today. Now they bring me the pigments I ask for. Soft chalky blood-red sanguine and mustard yellow ochres from the soils of Italy. I mix them with linseed oil, boiled and aged in a kettle. Properly prepared, these paints are indistinguishable from the ones used on the original, and the copy is more likely to be betrayed by a careless brush stroke or a misplaced highlight. The Professor sees quickly when my tired eyes have missed a tone and I have made enough (deliberate) mistakes to convince them to move my studio to the attic where the light is better. From there I have a view of the city and a reminder of freedom. They still insist that I sleep here in the cellar but that gives me another freedom. The flickering candles cast deep shadows which hide my other work. If I cannot be free, perhaps she can.
When I arrived the studio was already stocked with paints and canvas but the professor helped me explain to Daniel that the forgeries would be quickly detected if we used them. She was painted on a poplar board rather than a stretched canvas and the pigments used by the Master were very different from the ones we use today. Now they bring me the pigments I ask for. Soft chalky blood-red sanguine and mustard yellow ochres from the soils of Italy. I mix them with linseed oil, boiled and aged in a kettle. Properly prepared, these paints are indistinguishable from the ones used on the original, and the copy is more likely to be betrayed by a careless brush stroke or a misplaced highlight. The Professor sees quickly when my tired eyes have missed a tone and I have made enough (deliberate) mistakes to convince them to move my studio to the attic where the light is better. From there I have a view of the city and a reminder of freedom. They still insist that I sleep here in the cellar but that gives me another freedom. The flickering candles cast deep shadows which hide my other work. If I cannot be free, perhaps she can.
Ciphertext
EVWZE AGJUU WMWHM CWCIA GAHIW CUNDC CANIW DCVAH IDZAI VAEMW CIWCU MCTID DYWII DWIMZ ROALD GAIVA PMGMC TCDDC AYCDP HPVMI VMEEA CATID WITJG WCUIV ARAMG HWIPM HBWHH WCUUW KACVD PZDCU WIPMH MPMRW NMCJC TAGHI MCTIV ALGAC NVGAZ JNIMC NAIDZ AIUDD LWIMU MWCWL DZZDP ATJER DJGZA MTDCN VMBOD GTMCT TWHND KAGAT IVMII VAZDJ KGAHE MWCIW CUHPA GAIGM CHLAG GATID ZDJKW UCRIV AMOOM RATAZ DNTWA JIVAB JHAAT ABDCI MJOMC MCTLW CMZZR IDBDC IMZJC TAGIV AHJEA GKWHW DCDLI VABJH AJBHT WGANI DGXMN FJAHX MJXMG TOJIW VMKAM LAAZW CUPAM GABWH HWCUH DBAIV WCUWC MZZIV WHXJH INMCI EJIBR LWCUA GDCWI NVMHW CUJEI VAOMN YUGDJ CTHID GRDCD JGRDJ CUEMW CIAGW IHAAB HZWYA VAGLM BWZRV MKAVM TMZDC UWCIA GAHIW CMGIG AHIDG MIWDC MCTWU JAHHI VMIWH PVAGA HVAZA MGCAT VAGHY WZZHO JIVAG DOKWD JHJCT AGHIM CTWCU DLMLD GUAGH PDGYB MYABA PDCTA GWLHD BADCA WCIVA LMBWZ RBMRO AIVAB JNVZD KATUG MCTLM IVAGV MTMZA HHDOK WDJHH DJGNA DLWCN DBANM CRDJL WCTDJ IBDGA MODJI IVABP VMIEM GIDLW IMZRT WTIVA LMBWZ RNDBA LGDBD GWUWC MZZRW PWZZC AATIV MIQGM RDLIV AEMWC IWCUM HHDDC MHRDJ NMCUA IWITD CAWVM KAMVJ CNVIV ADZTZ MTRWH VWTWC UBDGA IVMCV AGLAA ZWCUH OAVWC TIVMI HBWZA MZZIV AOAHI VMGGR
EVWZE AGJUU WMWHM CWCIA GAHIW CUNDC CANIW DCVAH IDZAI VAEMW CIWCU MCTID DYWII DWIMZ ROALD GAIVA PMGMC TCDDC AYCDP HPVMI VMEEA CATID WITJG WCUIV ARAMG HWIPM HBWHH WCUUW KACVD PZDCU WIPMH MPMRW NMCJC TAGHI MCTIV ALGAC NVGAZ JNIMC NAIDZ AIUDD LWIMU MWCWL DZZDP ATJER DJGZA MTDCN VMBOD GTMCT TWHND KAGAT IVMII VAZDJ KGAHE MWCIW CUHPA GAIGM CHLAG GATID ZDJKW UCRIV AMOOM RATAZ DNTWA JIVAB JHAAT ABDCI MJOMC MCTLW CMZZR IDBDC IMZJC TAGIV AHJEA GKWHW DCDLI VABJH AJBHT WGANI DGXMN FJAHX MJXMG TOJIW VMKAM LAAZW CUPAM GABWH HWCUH DBAIV WCUWC MZZIV WHXJH INMCI EJIBR LWCUA GDCWI NVMHW CUJEI VAOMN YUGDJ CTHID GRDCD JGRDJ CUEMW CIAGW IHAAB HZWYA VAGLM BWZRV MKAVM TMZDC UWCIA GAHIW CMGIG AHIDG MIWDC MCTWU JAHHI VMIWH PVAGA HVAZA MGCAT VAGHY WZZHO JIVAG DOKWD JHJCT AGHIM CTWCU DLMLD GUAGH PDGYB MYABA PDCTA GWLHD BADCA WCIVA LMBWZ RBMRO AIVAB JNVZD KATUG MCTLM IVAGV MTMZA HHDOK WDJHH DJGNA DLWCN DBANM CRDJL WCTDJ IBDGA MODJI IVABP VMIEM GIDLW IMZRT WTIVA LMBWZ RNDBA LGDBD GWUWC MZZRW PWZZC AATIV MIQGM RDLIV AEMWC IWCUM HHDDC MHRDJ NMCUA IWITD CAWVM KAMVJ CNVIV ADZTZ MTRWH VWTWC UBDGA IVMCV AGLAA ZWCUH OAVWC TIVMI HBWZA MZZIV AOAHI VMGGR
Plaintext
Phil,
Peruggia is an interesting connection. He stole the painting and took it to Italy before the war and no-one knows what happened to it during the years it was missing. Given how long it was away I can understand the French reluctance to let go of it again. I followed up your lead on Chambord and discovered that the Louvre’s paintings were transferred to Louvigny, the Abbaye de Loc Dieu, the Musee de Montauban and finally to Montal under the supervision of the Museums Director Jacques Jaujard. But I have a feeling we are missing something in all this. Just can’t put my finger on it. Chasing up the background story on our young painter it seems like her family have had a long interest in art restoration and I guess that is where she learned her skills, but her obvious understanding of a forger’s work make me wonder if someone in the family, maybe the much loved grandfather, had a less obvious source of income. Can you find out more about them? What part of Italy did the family come from originally.
I will need that X-ray of the painting as soon as you can get it done. I have a hunch the old lady is hiding more than her feelings behind that smile.
All the best, Harry
Phil,
Peruggia is an interesting connection. He stole the painting and took it to Italy before the war and no-one knows what happened to it during the years it was missing. Given how long it was away I can understand the French reluctance to let go of it again. I followed up your lead on Chambord and discovered that the Louvre’s paintings were transferred to Louvigny, the Abbaye de Loc Dieu, the Musee de Montauban and finally to Montal under the supervision of the Museums Director Jacques Jaujard. But I have a feeling we are missing something in all this. Just can’t put my finger on it. Chasing up the background story on our young painter it seems like her family have had a long interest in art restoration and I guess that is where she learned her skills, but her obvious understanding of a forger’s work make me wonder if someone in the family, maybe the much loved grandfather, had a less obvious source of income. Can you find out more about them? What part of Italy did the family come from originally.
I will need that X-ray of the painting as soon as you can get it done. I have a hunch the old lady is hiding more than her feelings behind that smile.
All the best, Harry
Ciphertext
WPSHC TSGZR LSKON JZSHJ CWONJ NTLSB TJDLN TLYDC BTSCV WXKHJ NSVJW BTJDJ KGCJN TLSCM SHSOS WCHJJ NTPSZ ZWCJN THNSV DPHWS BCDJH KGTPN SJNTH SPAKJ WYTEJ BRNSC VHATN WCVBR ASLYJ DNWVT JNTGT VEWOB TCJWN SVATT CPDGY WCOSC VNTHS WVCDJ NWCON THTTB HJDNS MTHDI JTCTV AKJWY CDPWL SCCDJ JGKHJ SCRDC TNTGT HNTBK HJCDJ ATVWH LDMTG TVNTG TDGJN TRPWZ ZJSYT SPSRB RZSHJ NDETD IGTHL KWCON TGSCV GTJKG CWCON TGJDJ NTONT JJDBR EZSCH JDTHL SETSG TDIZT HHWBE DGJSC LTAKJ BRJGS MTZVD LKBTC JHSGT CDPLD BEZTJ TJNTE SETGH SCVWC YHPTG TNSGV JDSLF KWGTA KJWTQ LKHTV BKLND IWJAR TQEZS WCWCO JNSJW CTTVT VJDHY TJLNJ DHNSG ETCBR HYWZZ HPNWL NNSVV TJTGW DGSJT VWCJN TLSBE WSBHS MWCOH KLNID DVSHB WONJZ SHJBD HJZRN SGVAG TSVSC VNSGV LNTTH TSOSW CHJJN TVSRH PNTCW NDETJ DGKCI GDBJN WHEZS LTCDP WPWZZ CTTVJ DIWCV SPSRJ DHJTS ZBDCT RJDES RIDGB RXDKG CTRBR EZSLT NWONW CJNTS JJWLO WMTHB TSMWT PDIJN TLWJR PNWLN NSHSZ ZDPTV BTJDB SYTSB SEJDO KWVTB TDCJN TBDDC ZTHHC WONJP NTCWP WZZIW CSZZR GKCSC VWYTT EJNTB SEPWJ NNTGS CVPWJ NJNWH VWSGR KCVTG JNTAD SGVHW PWZZZ WMTSC VWPWZ ZATIG TTSCV HDPWZ ZHNT
WPSHC TSGZR LSKON JZSHJ CWONJ NTLSB TJDLN TLYDC BTSCV WXKHJ NSVJW BTJDJ KGCJN TLSCM SHSOS WCHJJ NTPSZ ZWCJN THNSV DPHWS BCDJH KGTPN SJNTH SPAKJ WYTEJ BRNSC VHATN WCVBR ASLYJ DNWVT JNTGT VEWOB TCJWN SVATT CPDGY WCOSC VNTHS WVCDJ NWCON THTTB HJDNS MTHDI JTCTV AKJWY CDPWL SCCDJ JGKHJ SCRDC TNTGT HNTBK HJCDJ ATVWH LDMTG TVNTG TDGJN TRPWZ ZJSYT SPSRB RZSHJ NDETD IGTHL KWCON TGSCV GTJKG CWCON TGJDJ NTONT JJDBR EZSCH JDTHL SETSG TDIZT HHWBE DGJSC LTAKJ BRJGS MTZVD LKBTC JHSGT CDPLD BEZTJ TJNTE SETGH SCVWC YHPTG TNSGV JDSLF KWGTA KJWTQ LKHTV BKLND IWJAR TQEZS WCWCO JNSJW CTTVT VJDHY TJLNJ DHNSG ETCBR HYWZZ HPNWL NNSVV TJTGW DGSJT VWCJN TLSBE WSBHS MWCOH KLNID DVSHB WONJZ SHJBD HJZRN SGVAG TSVSC VNSGV LNTTH TSOSW CHJJN TVSRH PNTCW NDETJ DGKCI GDBJN WHEZS LTCDP WPWZZ CTTVJ DIWCV SPSRJ DHJTS ZBDCT RJDES RIDGB RXDKG CTRBR EZSLT NWONW CJNTS JJWLO WMTHB TSMWT PDIJN TLWJR PNWLN NSHSZ ZDPTV BTJDB SYTSB SEJDO KWVTB TDCJN TBDDC ZTHHC WONJP NTCWP WZZIW CSZZR GKCSC VWYTT EJNTB SEPWJ NNTGS CVPWJ NJNWH VWSGR KCVTG JNTAD SGVHW PWZZZ WMTSC VWPWZ ZATIG TTSCV HDPWZ ZHNT
Plaintext
I was nearly caught last night. He came to check on me and I just had time to turn the canvas against the wall in the shadows. I am not sure what he saw, but I kept my hands behind my back to hide the red pigment I had been working and he said nothing. He seems to have softened, but I know I cannot trust anyone here. She must not be discovered here or they will take away my last hope of rescuing her and returning her to The Ghetto.
My plans to escape are of less importance, but my travel documents are now complete. The papers and inks were hard to acquire, but I excused much of it by explaining that I needed to sketch to sharpen my skills, which had deteriorated in the camp.
I am saving such food as might last – mostly hard bread and hard cheese – against the days when I hope to run from this place. Now I will need to find a way to steal money to pay for my journey.
My place high in the attic gives me a view of the city which has allowed me to make a map to guide me on the moonless night when I will finally run, and I keep the map, with her and with this diary under the boards. I will live and I will be free, and so will she.
I was nearly caught last night. He came to check on me and I just had time to turn the canvas against the wall in the shadows. I am not sure what he saw, but I kept my hands behind my back to hide the red pigment I had been working and he said nothing. He seems to have softened, but I know I cannot trust anyone here. She must not be discovered here or they will take away my last hope of rescuing her and returning her to The Ghetto.
My plans to escape are of less importance, but my travel documents are now complete. The papers and inks were hard to acquire, but I excused much of it by explaining that I needed to sketch to sharpen my skills, which had deteriorated in the camp.
I am saving such food as might last – mostly hard bread and hard cheese – against the days when I hope to run from this place. Now I will need to find a way to steal money to pay for my journey.
My place high in the attic gives me a view of the city which has allowed me to make a map to guide me on the moonless night when I will finally run, and I keep the map, with her and with this diary under the boards. I will live and I will be free, and so will she.
Ciphertext
BSTWI STHTH ISEWA HIZDH AGASH RTAGP EYIGT EHAYR TITHA IZJOS ZYEIZ REFGP BITSA KEYIS ARIZR EFGPB IAKTO EYEGE DZGAM STWEA YRTAW XZHIR TRYIO EIIST HZYEA IWEAH ITIIE WWHJH ISAIH SEOZI AMAPL JILEP ZYRIS AITAX YZIHJ GEMSA ISABB EYERM SEGER TRHSE OZRTR ISEBA TYITY OOZMT ISSEG AYRTD TIRTR SZMFZ XETIT HYZML AFVTY ISEWZ JKGER TRRAY TEWZG ISEHH ZDDTF EGDZW WZMSE GMSZM AHSER TRSED TYRSE GISEI GATWT HOZTY OFZWR AYRME YEERA YEMTR EATMA HMZYR EGTYO TDISE GEXTO SILEH ZXEIS TYOTY ISEHH AYOWE ISZHE OJPHM EGEYZ ISTYO TDYZI ISZGZ JOSRZ PZJSA KEAFF EHHIZ AYPHH BABEG HDGZX ISAIB AGIZD BAGTH TYISE MAGXA PLEIS EPVYE MMSAI MAHOZ TYOZY TAXSE ARTYO RZMYI ZIAWV IZAWD GERZO EGTSE MAHIS EREAW EGBEG JOOTA HSZME RISEX ZYAWT HAIZL AFVTY XAPLE SEVYZ MHHZX EISTY OALZJ IHAGA HDAXT WPTIH AWZYO HSZIL JIJYW EHHPZ JFZXE JBMTI SHZXE ISTYO DGZXI SEYAQ TMAGG EFZGR TITHA WWMES AKEAY PYEMH ZYISE NGAPS AGGP
BSTWI STHTH ISEWA HIZDH AGASH RTAGP EYIGT EHAYR TITHA IZJOS ZYEIZ REFGP BITSA KEYIS ARIZR EFGPB IAKTO EYEGE DZGAM STWEA YRTAW XZHIR TRYIO EIIST HZYEA IWEAH ITIIE WWHJH ISAIH SEOZI AMAPL JILEP ZYRIS AITAX YZIHJ GEMSA ISABB EYERM SEGER TRHSE OZRTR ISEBA TYITY OOZMT ISSEG AYRTD TIRTR SZMFZ XETIT HYZML AFVTY ISEWZ JKGER TRRAY TEWZG ISEHH ZDDTF EGDZW WZMSE GMSZM AHSER TRSED TYRSE GISEI GATWT HOZTY OFZWR AYRME YEERA YEMTR EATMA HMZYR EGTYO TDISE GEXTO SILEH ZXEIS TYOTY ISEHH AYOWE ISZHE OJPHM EGEYZ ISTYO TDYZI ISZGZ JOSRZ PZJSA KEAFF EHHIZ AYPHH BABEG HDGZX ISAIB AGIZD BAGTH TYISE MAGXA PLEIS EPVYE MMSAI MAHOZ TYOZY TAXSE ARTYO RZMYI ZIAWV IZAWD GERZO EGTSE MAHIS EREAW EGBEG JOOTA HSZME RISEX ZYAWT HAIZL AFVTY XAPLE SEVYZ MHHZX EISTY OALZJ IHAGA HDAXT WPTIH AWZYO HSZIL JIJYW EHHPZ JFZXE JBMTI SHZXE ISTYO DGZXI SEYAQ TMAGG EFZGR TITHA WWMES AKEAY PYEMH ZYISE NGAPS AGGP
Plaintext
Phil,
This is the last of Sarah’s diary entries and it is a tough one to decrypt. I haven’t had to decrypt a Vigenere for a while and I almost didn’t get this one. At least it tells us that she got away, but beyond that I am not sure what happened. Where did she go? Did the painting go with her? And if it did, how come it is now back in the Louvre? Did Daniel or the SS officer follow her? Who was he? Did he find her? The trail is going cold and we need a new idea. I was wondering if there might be something in the SS angle - those guys were nothing if not thorough. Do you have access to any SS papers from that part of Paris in the war? Maybe they knew what was going on. I am heading down to talk to Alfredo Geri. He was the dealer Peruggia showed the Mona Lisa to back in 1913. Maybe he knows something about Sara’s family. It’s a long shot, but unless you come up with something from the Nazi war record it is all we have.
Any news on the X-ray? Harry
Phil,
This is the last of Sarah’s diary entries and it is a tough one to decrypt. I haven’t had to decrypt a Vigenere for a while and I almost didn’t get this one. At least it tells us that she got away, but beyond that I am not sure what happened. Where did she go? Did the painting go with her? And if it did, how come it is now back in the Louvre? Did Daniel or the SS officer follow her? Who was he? Did he find her? The trail is going cold and we need a new idea. I was wondering if there might be something in the SS angle - those guys were nothing if not thorough. Do you have access to any SS papers from that part of Paris in the war? Maybe they knew what was going on. I am heading down to talk to Alfredo Geri. He was the dealer Peruggia showed the Mona Lisa to back in 1913. Maybe he knows something about Sara’s family. It’s a long shot, but unless you come up with something from the Nazi war record it is all we have.
Any news on the X-ray? Harry
Ciphertext
NEWJXVOIYZFLRFJINDFVEQAESOGFEZKMXECCIQCRNPZJTBEOJEPFSXVLNDOWXRTRTZBNLRPLJWS WXUKWOLQBIGJESRWEKBPXMPSRWRNMSEVVEGVMHTXLQCGZJCMKMZGMMPOIESQSYDHVTBPXMPGKEV TWHPFKEVPXMLHKLRVLJQHYEFDIJYRZWPQZJCSUEAFXMLHZAVNPGPQRYTJXYSSJWBHJNNSIZVUMY DZVWFQJYPBESJVLFEVVMFUYWPWRQPCVWJWEKBWXYSSZVVPWYCITXVQRXTQRRAGZJCPVGRTXFTBN LRPLJHWCPAGBYLDGINTFZEVVWRGQJOGRXVUJNPRNMGJQDHCIOGJMXLTKIEPSTYOEHCGVMLDJLRY MQWBFXEGXZCBKSZQVWZKUEAKIQTGFJGGRTFHUYEKRLEVVHNAWTHWKLYWGPXMVWPCTJHWCPAQXGP RZWPQZJCSUYAVMQEVVESVIWYCFRNPHNAZRRGQFJLPFEEFXMPHIEVPFDEVVRZAHTNIDIAVWFCSII NFCYZCKLRAATFZURBVFJLFRGYQWJTBJTREXNZBSYGKJNNOEWGGEQLPFEEFEKFZCXECMSEVVRVVL NYYKLRAANWZJYSHMHPHYIWQYWYSPXBVLJDHRXVQRBTZCFRFMKQWTYYVMSEVVFYCGPZIKFHVQDXO GMFEPJLFRRQVLJXOKGUGWNDHFPRYMQWUZZROIJYCLKUNMLSHKSPJIHVHYIJCCNHWCPUKHJEVZWQ KEWJIEHRTXMPPFEEFWNYHYIPGPQLFNLRTIXSSYEFNMAPRWSEVLJWOJXSGARZBKLFKJFYMKLVPKM LDGIAUXTXSZHBPSYHOEXBWVXECICSQVLZHKIARIWSOGWBPIILMZAVNPWPHLVACRICSKVVGZJTHZ JAQXFYRPSHCVJCSRHVPKYSWJXUGRBTGYQRNYHVGRVNJ
NEWJXVOIYZFLRFJINDFVEQAESOGFEZKMXECCIQCRNPZJTBEOJEPFSXVLNDOWXRTRTZBNLRPLJWS WXUKWOLQBIGJESRWEKBPXMPSRWRNMSEVVEGVMHTXLQCGZJCMKMZGMMPOIESQSYDHVTBPXMPGKEV TWHPFKEVPXMLHKLRVLJQHYEFDIJYRZWPQZJCSUEAFXMLHZAVNPGPQRYTJXYSSJWBHJNNSIZVUMY DZVWFQJYPBESJVLFEVVMFUYWPWRQPCVWJWEKBWXYSSZVVPWYCITXVQRXTQRRAGZJCPVGRTXFTBN LRPLJHWCPAGBYLDGINTFZEVVWRGQJOGRXVUJNPRNMGJQDHCIOGJMXLTKIEPSTYOEHCGVMLDJLRY MQWBFXEGXZCBKSZQVWZKUEAKIQTGFJGGRTFHUYEKRLEVVHNAWTHWKLYWGPXMVWPCTJHWCPAQXGP RZWPQZJCSUYAVMQEVVESVIWYCFRNPHNAZRRGQFJLPFEEFXMPHIEVPFDEVVRZAHTNIDIAVWFCSII NFCYZCKLRAATFZURBVFJLFRGYQWJTBJTREXNZBSYGKJNNOEWGGEQLPFEEFEKFZCXECMSEVVRVVL NYYKLRAANWZJYSHMHPHYIWQYWYSPXBVLJDHRXVQRBTZCFRFMKQWTYYVMSEVVFYCGPZIKFHVQDXO GMFEPJLFRRQVLJXOKGUGWNDHFPRYMQWUZZROIJYCLKUNMLSHKSPJIHVHYIJCCNHWCPUKHJEVZWQ KEWJIEHRTXMPPFEEFWNYHYIPGPQLFNLRTIXSSYEFNMAPRWSEVLJWOJXSGARZBKLFKJFYMKLVPKM LDGIAUXTXSZHBPSYHOEXBWVXECICSQVLZHKIARIWSOGWBPIILMZAVNPWPHLVACRICSKVVGZJTHZ JAQXFYRPSHCVJCSRHVPKYSWJXUGRBTGYQRNYHVGRVNJ
Plaintext
It is time to run. She is ready and so am I. I stole Daniel’s pocket book this afternoon when he left his jacket hanging on the easel in the attic. I jump every time I hear a footstep on the stairs, certain that the theft has been discovered and that I will be caught. The SS officer visits less often now that he is sure I am carrying out their instructions. I can never be certain when he will next appear, but he seemed satisfied with my work this afternoon, and perhaps he will not return tomorrow. Daniel is often out during the day so with luck my escape will not be discovered until the afternoon, and I plan to be aboard the train by then.
My documents are ready too. They would not bear a close inspection, but if I can steal aboard a full train then I think they will suffice. The journey to the station will be difficult in the blackout, but my map is clear, and the matches I stole will give me enough light to check the way. I will hide this diary under the boards in the cellar, where she has lived for the last few months. If anything happens to me I do not want our story forgotten. Perhaps one day I will return and retrieve it. If not, and you are reading this, then wish me luck,
Sarah.
It is time to run. She is ready and so am I. I stole Daniel’s pocket book this afternoon when he left his jacket hanging on the easel in the attic. I jump every time I hear a footstep on the stairs, certain that the theft has been discovered and that I will be caught. The SS officer visits less often now that he is sure I am carrying out their instructions. I can never be certain when he will next appear, but he seemed satisfied with my work this afternoon, and perhaps he will not return tomorrow. Daniel is often out during the day so with luck my escape will not be discovered until the afternoon, and I plan to be aboard the train by then.
My documents are ready too. They would not bear a close inspection, but if I can steal aboard a full train then I think they will suffice. The journey to the station will be difficult in the blackout, but my map is clear, and the matches I stole will give me enough light to check the way. I will hide this diary under the boards in the cellar, where she has lived for the last few months. If anything happens to me I do not want our story forgotten. Perhaps one day I will return and retrieve it. If not, and you are reading this, then wish me luck,
Sarah.
Ciphertext
CPYYL GVVIR PDDVU BCSUP QOWPW SYBYP ODBCS PBBPR CSIOZ PTSTV HYVTW PYOZC OGCRV TTPUI BVGVS YOUGZ ZSRYS BPYLY SHSYY OUGBV BCSWP OUBOU GPUIR DSPYD LTSUB OVUOU GZPYP ZSSTZ DONSB CSLNU SJPAV EBBCS ZRPTV EYHYO SUIDL ZZVHH ORSYJ PZWDP UUOUG BVWED DBCSL WORNS IEWCS YBYPO DBCSU OGCBP HBSYZ CSJSU BTOZZ OUGAE BLVER PUYSP IPAVE BBCPB OUBCS OYYSW VYBZB ODDUV MVLVU GSBBO UGPRR SZZBV BCSVY OGOUP DTOZZ TVUPO UBCSG PDDSY LPUIO PTASG OUUOU GBVBC OUNJS TOGCB USSIB VYVDD VEBPA DPRNA PGMVA LVEJP UBBVI VOBVY ZCPDD OALBC SJPLO JPZZE YWYOZ SIALB COZYS WVYBB CSVBC SYWPW SYZJS CPFSH YVTBC SUPQO ZPBBC OZDSF SDPYS SURYL WBSIE ZOUGA OHOIV YWDPL HPOYZ BLDSR OWCSY ZBCOZ VUSOZ UBTPL ASBCS ROWCS YRDSY NJPZV HHIEB LBCPB IPLJS GVBDE RNL
CPYYL GVVIR PDDVU BCSUP QOWPW SYBYP ODBCS PBBPR CSIOZ PTSTV HYVTW PYOZC OGCRV TTPUI BVGVS YOUGZ ZSRYS BPYLY SHSYY OUGBV BCSWP OUBOU GPUIR DSPYD LTSUB OVUOU GZPYP ZSSTZ DONSB CSLNU SJPAV EBBCS ZRPTV EYHYO SUIDL ZZVHH ORSYJ PZWDP UUOUG BVWED DBCSL WORNS IEWCS YBYPO DBCSU OGCBP HBSYZ CSJSU BTOZZ OUGAE BLVER PUYSP IPAVE BBCPB OUBCS OYYSW VYBZB ODDUV MVLVU GSBBO UGPRR SZZBV BCSVY OGOUP DTOZZ TVUPO UBCSG PDDSY LPUIO PTASG OUUOU GBVBC OUNJS TOGCB USSIB VYVDD VEBPA DPRNA PGMVA LVEJP UBBVI VOBVY ZCPDD OALBC SJPLO JPZZE YWYOZ SIALB COZYS WVYBB CSVBC SYWPW SYZJS CPFSH YVTBC SUPQO ZPBBC OZDSF SDPYS SURYL WBSIE ZOUGA OHOIV YWDPL HPOYZ BLDSR OWCSY ZBCOZ VUSOZ UBTPL ASBCS ROWCS YRDSY NJPZV HHIEB LBCPB IPLJS GVBDE RNL
Plaintext
Harry, good call on the Nazi paper trail. The attached is a memo from Paris High Command to Goering's secretary referring to "the painting" and clearly mentioning Sara. Seems like they knew about the scam our friendly SS officer was planning to pull. They picked up her trail the night after she went missing, but you can read about that in their report. Still no joy on getting access to the original Miss. Mona in the gallery and I am beginning to think we might need to roll out a black bag job. You want to do it or shall I? By the way, I was surprised by this report. The other papers we have from the Nazis at this level are encrypted using bifid or Playfair style ciphers. This one isn't. Maybe the cipher clerk was off duty that day. We got lucky.
Harry, good call on the Nazi paper trail. The attached is a memo from Paris High Command to Goering's secretary referring to "the painting" and clearly mentioning Sara. Seems like they knew about the scam our friendly SS officer was planning to pull. They picked up her trail the night after she went missing, but you can read about that in their report. Still no joy on getting access to the original Miss. Mona in the gallery and I am beginning to think we might need to roll out a black bag job. You want to do it or shall I? By the way, I was surprised by this report. The other papers we have from the Nazis at this level are encrypted using bifid or Playfair style ciphers. This one isn't. Maybe the cipher clerk was off duty that day. We got lucky.
Ciphertext
HITHH NFRFE RTEAO FFTNA SLTYO RRREQ THIMS ERULR HFSET AEEIU IWSIH BNRRT SIOII ENIRH MRPYT DTOEI RCITA LNBRP NHTOH ORLIE WTSHT ESPOS OTOYN UWHRE DHHCP ICMNO OTAHA SHTIJ EANET OFRNE USRAG MXURT TOWLE ATBRT EPPTR AAESE NETHH RISNR STSTR NFLDO GHAUM GSESE AKUNT IAHYT TNYUN TNNVH IGWLE WFIAP ASREL FAIEB APCMC PLAHE THTOL HWSUL ADSEU VEAEO TAEUT ATEEF EHLBH TRSHG ATLIA CEEHT RNHGA ASIET UFNNP UREHR ELITT MUDYI NNUEG ICOUE NDEEI AHSUE LHTNO AHTIE AINYF DNIAU OENAT IYEFO HEDAL UAROE RYHUR AERAT ERAHI AONGT WISWS AITBU LTAOM XLETO REOTO TONAO ORTGB CVAIP NLEEW FYRTA EOADU WWETR RTNLR PFPAI ELLRI MNTRO WIEQR ECUAR NDOTA FNROT ELETP ENRPM SHNDD ETDEW HEFOY PEDEN NSNEE GTATE EANES ERTGD LUEOS RBURO WHDGB RPAHE NYTTE KRERT RRHNF NEDOL TSWSI ANIYP OTHMO UOCTY EIEEP ONHKR NNTAI RLTEE IUREM NITAP HOEAO HHNOU UMTKV SENED EEOID PWKIE GTIII OSENH UUFAN BEUIT HRAER HIEEH UAYAS RUSIW GADSI SITRL GFPHI LTWII SIHES URMRO MACEI SOILV DEOEL USAIR IDEOT NFIES OBNTS APOFG SODRT FIRPL TANET RLYIO SOTYO ESSFN TPHEA IGEAO RAIEI TDMTA AEGRH YASRR CFELR TLEEA NEHVE HIVMH NASSI EROIX LMPSJ TTESO FBMRH NDIOC HECNB TTNCO MPUSE SOEHT ENETF IENOO TNWOO TEERI LTOIG DOSME HOIFM LROEF FDTUE SOFLE RWIIY QDBZO TTNRF ANTDI GONTA LAEPD SHEAM NTHLP SNBTU OAHAA LPLEM NPDRS HVNAI AELNH CALIS KACDO AEDTJ GHOIE ADGWA YNDET ENHEG EEUEO EEDNO RYYRF CTEMT TWNTG DETAS UOOOT FWYMI HRGRH OESIN RRAOF RETFE NPOYA ISSES STNHH AYEUL HIWPC TEATU APEAN LUEEL WAHAO ELURE SNBII EASAE TEAGC DCSOR EPSRO ENSEL VOSED UDSIT LTEIT TFSEO ESNLN GINOE RNTEI EIWWL WHTEI RSIIL HTDSR NDESR FHRNT LGRSU ASEDA DOYTA SADUT ENWIT CNAME TERTP OESYT OTOCN YUTSO GCMUD LPADL EADOT EFDSB FELEA HAXRS ONIDT IEIPR ASHIC DCSHI PBIEL SLNAL HORFR ENTAT ORAIE MKLAG RETMR DCWSN AYNWS VNULD OREKU TNNOU TIIUN NHVNI EILOH LTEFN AEATU IFTTA CETLN NRBHB EGLOS NAONM IFKOA RONSN VNFRE TRCFT HDETP SWSUC PERCW TPOAW FHDAY ISOOA GOAEL NDFIG NGRTE BLTLL GFO
HITHH NFRFE RTEAO FFTNA SLTYO RRREQ THIMS ERULR HFSET AEEIU IWSIH BNRRT SIOII ENIRH MRPYT DTOEI RCITA LNBRP NHTOH ORLIE WTSHT ESPOS OTOYN UWHRE DHHCP ICMNO OTAHA SHTIJ EANET OFRNE USRAG MXURT TOWLE ATBRT EPPTR AAESE NETHH RISNR STSTR NFLDO GHAUM GSESE AKUNT IAHYT TNYUN TNNVH IGWLE WFIAP ASREL FAIEB APCMC PLAHE THTOL HWSUL ADSEU VEAEO TAEUT ATEEF EHLBH TRSHG ATLIA CEEHT RNHGA ASIET UFNNP UREHR ELITT MUDYI NNUEG ICOUE NDEEI AHSUE LHTNO AHTIE AINYF DNIAU OENAT IYEFO HEDAL UAROE RYHUR AERAT ERAHI AONGT WISWS AITBU LTAOM XLETO REOTO TONAO ORTGB CVAIP NLEEW FYRTA EOADU WWETR RTNLR PFPAI ELLRI MNTRO WIEQR ECUAR NDOTA FNROT ELETP ENRPM SHNDD ETDEW HEFOY PEDEN NSNEE GTATE EANES ERTGD LUEOS RBURO WHDGB RPAHE NYTTE KRERT RRHNF NEDOL TSWSI ANIYP OTHMO UOCTY EIEEP ONHKR NNTAI RLTEE IUREM NITAP HOEAO HHNOU UMTKV SENED EEOID PWKIE GTIII OSENH UUFAN BEUIT HRAER HIEEH UAYAS RUSIW GADSI SITRL GFPHI LTWII SIHES URMRO MACEI SOILV DEOEL USAIR IDEOT NFIES OBNTS APOFG SODRT FIRPL TANET RLYIO SOTYO ESSFN TPHEA IGEAO RAIEI TDMTA AEGRH YASRR CFELR TLEEA NEHVE HIVMH NASSI EROIX LMPSJ TTESO FBMRH NDIOC HECNB TTNCO MPUSE SOEHT ENETF IENOO TNWOO TEERI LTOIG DOSME HOIFM LROEF FDTUE SOFLE RWIIY QDBZO TTNRF ANTDI GONTA LAEPD SHEAM NTHLP SNBTU OAHAA LPLEM NPDRS HVNAI AELNH CALIS KACDO AEDTJ GHOIE ADGWA YNDET ENHEG EEUEO EEDNO RYYRF CTEMT TWNTG DETAS UOOOT FWYMI HRGRH OESIN RRAOF RETFE NPOYA ISSES STNHH AYEUL HIWPC TEATU APEAN LUEEL WAHAO ELURE SNBII EASAE TEAGC DCSOR EPSRO ENSEL VOSED UDSIT LTEIT TFSEO ESNLN GINOE RNTEI EIWWL WHTEI RSIIL HTDSR NDESR FHRNT LGRSU ASEDA DOYTA SADUT ENWIT CNAME TERTP OESYT OTOCN YUTSO GCMUD LPADL EADOT EFDSB FELEA HAXRS ONIDT IEIPR ASHIC DCSHI PBIEL SLNAL HORFR ENTAT ORAIE MKLAG RETMR DCWSN AYNWS VNULD OREKU TNNOU TIIUN NHVNI EILOH LTEFN AEATU IFTTA CETLN NRBHB EGLOS NAONM IFKOA RONSN VNFRE TRCFT HDETP SWSUC PERCW TPOAW FHDAY ISOOA GOAEL NDFIG NGRTE BLTLL GFO
Plaintext
Herr Goering,
It is with mixed feelings that I must report the loss of the Jewish painter and the consequent closure of the forgery factory run by Sturmbannfuhrer Falschung. We had intended to arrest him and to raid the factory when the current batch of paintings had been completed but the unfortunate escape of the young woman rather spoilt our plans. I must confess that this was my own misjudgement. I had delayed the arrest intending to present you with one of the forgeries myself in recognition of your support for the ERR, and in acknowledgement of your own exquisite taste in art. These forgeries, though incomplete, will astound you. The materials, pigments, boards, and so on, are themselves masterpieces and the reputation of this girl and of her family are fully deserved. She no doubt flees in fear of her life, but should we capture her no such fate awaits. This extraordinary gift should be set free, and I propose that we detain her indefinitely in a fully equipped studio at Obersalzberg. Who knows what treasures this canary might produce for us. Herr Falschung has been stripped of rank and is being returned to Berlin for trial. It is clear that his plan was always to steal the painting and to present you with a forgery in its place, and my own instinct was to have him shot for looting, but perhaps you will consider better ways to make use of him, if only as an example.
The girl appears to have stolen, or perhaps more likely forged, documentation, and was spotted boarding a train at Paris Lyon. The locomotive was intercepted at Ventimiglia, but a full search revealed no-one matching her description. Thankfully all the paintings she was working on are fully accounted for and the original has been returned to our vault in the Jeu de Paume. Given what we now know, I believe that she will have returned to the Ghetto, and I will travel there myself in hope of finding a lead. Perhaps the fates will be kind to us,
Heil Hitler.
Herr Goering,
It is with mixed feelings that I must report the loss of the Jewish painter and the consequent closure of the forgery factory run by Sturmbannfuhrer Falschung. We had intended to arrest him and to raid the factory when the current batch of paintings had been completed but the unfortunate escape of the young woman rather spoilt our plans. I must confess that this was my own misjudgement. I had delayed the arrest intending to present you with one of the forgeries myself in recognition of your support for the ERR, and in acknowledgement of your own exquisite taste in art. These forgeries, though incomplete, will astound you. The materials, pigments, boards, and so on, are themselves masterpieces and the reputation of this girl and of her family are fully deserved. She no doubt flees in fear of her life, but should we capture her no such fate awaits. This extraordinary gift should be set free, and I propose that we detain her indefinitely in a fully equipped studio at Obersalzberg. Who knows what treasures this canary might produce for us. Herr Falschung has been stripped of rank and is being returned to Berlin for trial. It is clear that his plan was always to steal the painting and to present you with a forgery in its place, and my own instinct was to have him shot for looting, but perhaps you will consider better ways to make use of him, if only as an example.
The girl appears to have stolen, or perhaps more likely forged, documentation, and was spotted boarding a train at Paris Lyon. The locomotive was intercepted at Ventimiglia, but a full search revealed no-one matching her description. Thankfully all the paintings she was working on are fully accounted for and the original has been returned to our vault in the Jeu de Paume. Given what we now know, I believe that she will have returned to the Ghetto, and I will travel there myself in hope of finding a lead. Perhaps the fates will be kind to us,
Heil Hitler.
Ciphertext
WWPA, AWHCRH MDY IOT NJHGK HJWLSBALH HI AWL BBHLJT, X DTUI PC VC MGPSHN HCK AHXK AVL BCAXS PMILG JAVHPCN IPBL. PZ ESPUCLS AWL RYPAT DPZ SLAPKLGLS AD AWLXY NHGK DU UYXKPF PMILGUDVC, ADV AHIL UVG HCFDUT AD WGVRLHZ XA, PUS AWL QVPYS DPZ THHF IV SLIHRO UYDT IOT IPZT. LMJTSALCA XKTH IV BHZL IOT WPPCAXUV SDVZ SXRT WPYI VU AWL QVM IN AWL LHN - UD-VCL LHH NDPCN IV IBGU XA DCTY IV AVDR XM IOTF SPSU’I RCVL PI DPZ IOTYT, HCK IOTF LLGL EYTAIF JUAPZLAF IV QL AVDRXUV MDY HVBLDUT AD ZBBVNAL P WPPCAXUV PC HCFLHN.
HRJTZH AD AWL VHASTYN DPZ HAGHXNWAUVGDPYS HCK XA IVDR PYDBCK IDTUIF BPCBILH AD ZLPIJW AWL RVEF LPIO IOT VGPVPCHA. P WPS AWL EHXUIPCN PTDUV H QBCJW VU YTWGVSBRAXVCZ XU IOT TJZTBB ZWVE HCK RHBWTK DBI MDY IOT UXNWA XU IOT NJHGKH’ IPAWYDVB. AJYCZ DBI AWLN WGLULG AD BHL IOT KXYTJIVGZ’ UHRPAPIPTZ JW DU IOT ADW USDVG. DXAW AWL CLL LMOXIXAXVC VELCPCN DU HHIBGKPF IOT WAHRL LHH IJZN LCVJNW AD ZAPE VJA UPGZI AWPCN PUS, HH HGYPUVLS, P BHSL HBGL X DPZ UPGZI PCAD AWL HODW. X UDD WHKL IOT ODUDBG VU OPCXUV IDBVOI AWL ROTHELHA TCTY LVGR QF SH KPCJX. VG UDA.
IOT E-GHN YTZJSIZ RHBL QHRR IOXZ BVGUXUV HCK, PZ NVJ ZJZELRATK, IOXZ XZ DUT VU ZPYP’Z UHZLH. P PT IVAK XA XZ RSDZT AD WTYULRA, QBI, OXKSLC BCKTY IOT SPFTYH VU WPPCA, HOT ZRYXIQSTK P WXJIBGL DM IOT UPGX LPNAL TTQSTT XU ALPK. HOT ZXNCLS PI Z IVD. AWL ILRO VBNZ IOXUZ ZWL BHN OPCT BHLS H QPI VU VAK EPEL APZL P JGHNVC AD KTMPJT AWL QVPYS ITMDYT ZWL HAPYILS DDYZ VC PI. HCFLHN, AWHI STHKLH AWL FBTZIPDU DM LOTYT AWL WLAS IOT YTHA WPPCAXUV TXNWA QL. XA’H OPYS AD ITSXLKL IOPA HOT STMI PI DXAW AWL HZ PUS P RHC’A HLT OTY VVXUV VC AWL GBC DXAW PI ZIBRR JUSLG OTY RVPA. XA’H UDA APZL HOT JDBAK GVAS XA JW.
X DDYZLS AWYDBVO HVBL BVGL DM IOT UPGX WPWTYH HCK UVJUS AWPH UDAT. HI STHHA XA ILASH BH DWLGL HOT DTUI. SDVZZ APZL IOT JXWWLG JALGR LHH IPJZ IN AWL LHN. P WHKL BVKLS VC AD CTUXJT AD AGF IV UPCK PUN AGHRL DM HHGH IOTYT, IJA X OPCT H ULTSXUV AWL HVABIPDU IV IOXZ BFHATYN PH IPJZ PC WPYXZ LOTYT PI HAS QLVHC. P ALUA IOT WPPCAXUV HI AWL EHGPH VUMXJT. TPFQL NVJ JDBAK PYGHCNT AD YTAJYC PI? PI ZWVJSS IT LPZXLG AD NTA XA XU IOPU XA LHH AD LMAGHRA XA.
PSA AWL QLHA,
WHGYN
WWPA, AWHCRH MDY IOT NJHGK HJWLSBALH HI AWL BBHLJT, X DTUI PC VC MGPSHN HCK AHXK AVL BCAXS PMILG JAVHPCN IPBL. PZ ESPUCLS AWL RYPAT DPZ SLAPKLGLS AD AWLXY NHGK DU UYXKPF PMILGUDVC, ADV AHIL UVG HCFDUT AD WGVRLHZ XA, PUS AWL QVPYS DPZ THHF IV SLIHRO UYDT IOT IPZT. LMJTSALCA XKTH IV BHZL IOT WPPCAXUV SDVZ SXRT WPYI VU AWL QVM IN AWL LHN - UD-VCL LHH NDPCN IV IBGU XA DCTY IV AVDR XM IOTF SPSU’I RCVL PI DPZ IOTYT, HCK IOTF LLGL EYTAIF JUAPZLAF IV QL AVDRXUV MDY HVBLDUT AD ZBBVNAL P WPPCAXUV PC HCFLHN.
HRJTZH AD AWL VHASTYN DPZ HAGHXNWAUVGDPYS HCK XA IVDR PYDBCK IDTUIF BPCBILH AD ZLPIJW AWL RVEF LPIO IOT VGPVPCHA. P WPS AWL EHXUIPCN PTDUV H QBCJW VU YTWGVSBRAXVCZ XU IOT TJZTBB ZWVE HCK RHBWTK DBI MDY IOT UXNWA XU IOT NJHGKH’ IPAWYDVB. AJYCZ DBI AWLN WGLULG AD BHL IOT KXYTJIVGZ’ UHRPAPIPTZ JW DU IOT ADW USDVG. DXAW AWL CLL LMOXIXAXVC VELCPCN DU HHIBGKPF IOT WAHRL LHH IJZN LCVJNW AD ZAPE VJA UPGZI AWPCN PUS, HH HGYPUVLS, P BHSL HBGL X DPZ UPGZI PCAD AWL HODW. X UDD WHKL IOT ODUDBG VU OPCXUV IDBVOI AWL ROTHELHA TCTY LVGR QF SH KPCJX. VG UDA.
IOT E-GHN YTZJSIZ RHBL QHRR IOXZ BVGUXUV HCK, PZ NVJ ZJZELRATK, IOXZ XZ DUT VU ZPYP’Z UHZLH. P PT IVAK XA XZ RSDZT AD WTYULRA, QBI, OXKSLC BCKTY IOT SPFTYH VU WPPCA, HOT ZRYXIQSTK P WXJIBGL DM IOT UPGX LPNAL TTQSTT XU ALPK. HOT ZXNCLS PI Z IVD. AWL ILRO VBNZ IOXUZ ZWL BHN OPCT BHLS H QPI VU VAK EPEL APZL P JGHNVC AD KTMPJT AWL QVPYS ITMDYT ZWL HAPYILS DDYZ VC PI. HCFLHN, AWHI STHKLH AWL FBTZIPDU DM LOTYT AWL WLAS IOT YTHA WPPCAXUV TXNWA QL. XA’H OPYS AD ITSXLKL IOPA HOT STMI PI DXAW AWL HZ PUS P RHC’A HLT OTY VVXUV VC AWL GBC DXAW PI ZIBRR JUSLG OTY RVPA. XA’H UDA APZL HOT JDBAK GVAS XA JW.
X DDYZLS AWYDBVO HVBL BVGL DM IOT UPGX WPWTYH HCK UVJUS AWPH UDAT. HI STHHA XA ILASH BH DWLGL HOT DTUI. SDVZZ APZL IOT JXWWLG JALGR LHH IPJZ IN AWL LHN. P WHKL BVKLS VC AD CTUXJT AD AGF IV UPCK PUN AGHRL DM HHGH IOTYT, IJA X OPCT H ULTSXUV AWL HVABIPDU IV IOXZ BFHATYN PH IPJZ PC WPYXZ LOTYT PI HAS QLVHC. P ALUA IOT WPPCAXUV HI AWL EHGPH VUMXJT. TPFQL NVJ JDBAK PYGHCNT AD YTAJYC PI? PI ZWVJSS IT LPZXLG AD NTA XA XU IOPU XA LHH AD LMAGHRA XA.
PSA AWL QLHA,
WHGYN
Plaintext
Phil, thanks for the guard schedules at the Museum, I went in on Friday and laid low until after closing time. As planned the crate was delivered to their yard on Friday afternoon, too late for anyone to process it, and the board was easy to detach from the base. Excellent idea to make the painting look like part of the box by the way - no-one was going to turn it over to look if they didn’t know it was there, and they were pretty unlikely to be looking for someone to smuggle a painting in anyway.
Access to the gallery was straightforward and it took around twenty minutes to switch the copy with the original. I hid the painting among a bunch of reproductions in the museum shop and camped out for the night in the guards’ bathroom. Turns out they prefer to use the directors’ facilities up on the top floor. With the new exhibition opening on Saturday the place was busy enough to slip out first thing and, as arranged, I made sure I was first into the shop. I now have the honour of having bought the cheapest ever work by da Vinci. Or not.
The X-ray results came back this morning and, as you suspected, this is one of Sara’s fakes. I am told it is close to perfect, but, hidden under the layers of paint, she scribbled a picture of the Nazi Eagle emblem in lead. She signed it S too. The tech guys think she may have used a bit of old pipe like a crayon to deface the board before she started work on it. Anyway, that leaves the question of where the hell the real painting might be. It’s hard to believe that she left it with the SS and I can’t see her going on the run with it stuck under her coat. It’s not like she could roll it up.
I worked through some more of the Nazi papers and found this note. At least it tells us where she went. Looks like the cipher clerk was back by the way. I have moved on to Venice to try to find any trace of Sara there, but I have a feeling the solution to this mystery is back in Paris where it all began. I left the painting at the Paris office. Maybe you could arrange to return it? It should be easier to get it in than it was to extract it.
All the best,
Harry
Phil, thanks for the guard schedules at the Museum, I went in on Friday and laid low until after closing time. As planned the crate was delivered to their yard on Friday afternoon, too late for anyone to process it, and the board was easy to detach from the base. Excellent idea to make the painting look like part of the box by the way - no-one was going to turn it over to look if they didn’t know it was there, and they were pretty unlikely to be looking for someone to smuggle a painting in anyway.
Access to the gallery was straightforward and it took around twenty minutes to switch the copy with the original. I hid the painting among a bunch of reproductions in the museum shop and camped out for the night in the guards’ bathroom. Turns out they prefer to use the directors’ facilities up on the top floor. With the new exhibition opening on Saturday the place was busy enough to slip out first thing and, as arranged, I made sure I was first into the shop. I now have the honour of having bought the cheapest ever work by da Vinci. Or not.
The X-ray results came back this morning and, as you suspected, this is one of Sara’s fakes. I am told it is close to perfect, but, hidden under the layers of paint, she scribbled a picture of the Nazi Eagle emblem in lead. She signed it S too. The tech guys think she may have used a bit of old pipe like a crayon to deface the board before she started work on it. Anyway, that leaves the question of where the hell the real painting might be. It’s hard to believe that she left it with the SS and I can’t see her going on the run with it stuck under her coat. It’s not like she could roll it up.
I worked through some more of the Nazi papers and found this note. At least it tells us where she went. Looks like the cipher clerk was back by the way. I have moved on to Venice to try to find any trace of Sara there, but I have a feeling the solution to this mystery is back in Paris where it all began. I left the painting at the Paris office. Maybe you could arrange to return it? It should be easier to get it in than it was to extract it.
All the best,
Harry
Ciphertext
TTFTK IESFO EYTYL ETTKF OYUHT TIENH HNTPR NMEPL KLFHF NEFEN NNTMM OAIOH KTITM URPSO EGEOF CMYMH TEPOY ITKCO YTFTG PGTYM RHTEP CRNYD EFUOT CTKYR CCTIM ANRMQ LHMKT TTCTS THRYC YUHVG MTHYD EFYHE FYFNO PMHOE TGEET TTXKR QCTOF YNYTF HTMYE MNNFV NEHHT YTRFR TUOHT MOHRG RTXYO HNTUH RGHUB FHHTH OTGWG KITTY QHEOW TNHCY TGPGY WCWFM AIFTM RPCYF MTOET YIHEO NYDHT PTFAE TRHKY UTYTT NEAFH FMFUW CTHUY OMQGF TYIRT HHNOO TMNRG NMTTO HFMKO CYFTF HHTKO CAYQP HAECX YETFO TMHVO VHYIH EOYWC RTHUY OFMCH TETMF PUYMH TKRUG OOYTF TTNEA FFTTG PGKTQ OPBHN NYPTT MTTKY XLOCK KYHMA CCTYE KYUGM EVHMT XTUMT MTMMT HMKTS CFPOR HOTHT OTBRP IOTUB OOYRY YKFTY YNYEW GTTYH KYURT EMMOA YUEKL FRHYO TCMHY TECIY FTFNE FENCO TRQBB NUOYU HUAYQ TMMOO TATNY UFWIY HNTXT TONTY TURND CHFLI IPTNR TOOOR TDTTI EXYHO TETIE ETBZC LGBEW FBWWH YIWEO GOUOT ATBBZ VVAWI YMDVI ZGGBF ACDSI WAAGU EYNNZ LHALF XORPB ALEAE NFBID UATBV NXWLL YFIXT BHEUH YWVLH IYYMX DALXG SFDEG DEDDW EBVDK IDGGV LMBUD EWLKU WAWMV AAYHK DALXD OSWMK CNWUL GEWUM BHLOH NPYDE WIPWT BDGEU DEUVD FGXLI VEUDM AMERP FFCNK MZGLH WZHDC GKMZA BYOZL HKSOE EZGBT BQAKE NIHVV AVLHE UQRZH BUDFE WYKLA YKYBG EWQZK ENHHA IIYSB WFSIL LQBWV LWHXB WHWYF KRVMA BIGKZ IWOIW GFAHY NILXC MZHUL HLTWX RMAOT BDGHU LRAVQ DIVMM ATIUS BZOLS OLOAQ ZKENQ RVGLA BIGPF DKWTS XXAIX CTFNP GKYFI XTBWH XBWAF OHEUL WWNWL GDTWW WOEFH LOHBM ALGSG WWTHI UMGXT GRLOH YORKR OWKEY EHSXE LUDKD LELLR MBWWP MVFRQ RAGRD IYNGY BKYXD FRUOR TSLQB WCLWV FYIKX GBFBL DGMBL NNHFY LOTBC DSIWC DLBUD ABBTN PIABC PZOXE NLBNW VKTFI ZIGUO RGLFG HTQRP AVAHB ILWYS TMHFM GEGAF BBZHW XNRSB LBRL
TTFTK IESFO EYTYL ETTKF OYUHT TIENH HNTPR NMEPL KLFHF NEFEN NNTMM OAIOH KTITM URPSO EGEOF CMYMH TEPOY ITKCO YTFTG PGTYM RHTEP CRNYD EFUOT CTKYR CCTIM ANRMQ LHMKT TTCTS THRYC YUHVG MTHYD EFYHE FYFNO PMHOE TGEET TTXKR QCTOF YNYTF HTMYE MNNFV NEHHT YTRFR TUOHT MOHRG RTXYO HNTUH RGHUB FHHTH OTGWG KITTY QHEOW TNHCY TGPGY WCWFM AIFTM RPCYF MTOET YIHEO NYDHT PTFAE TRHKY UTYTT NEAFH FMFUW CTHUY OMQGF TYIRT HHNOO TMNRG NMTTO HFMKO CYFTF HHTKO CAYQP HAECX YETFO TMHVO VHYIH EOYWC RTHUY OFMCH TETMF PUYMH TKRUG OOYTF TTNEA FFTTG PGKTQ OPBHN NYPTT MTTKY XLOCK KYHMA CCTYE KYUGM EVHMT XTUMT MTMMT HMKTS CFPOR HOTHT OTBRP IOTUB OOYRY YKFTY YNYEW GTTYH KYURT EMMOA YUEKL FRHYO TCMHY TECIY FTFNE FENCO TRQBB NUOYU HUAYQ TMMOO TATNY UFWIY HNTXT TONTY TURND CHFLI IPTNR TOOOR TDTTI EXYHO TETIE ETBZC LGBEW FBWWH YIWEO GOUOT ATBBZ VVAWI YMDVI ZGGBF ACDSI WAAGU EYNNZ LHALF XORPB ALEAE NFBID UATBV NXWLL YFIXT BHEUH YWVLH IYYMX DALXG SFDEG DEDDW EBVDK IDGGV LMBUD EWLKU WAWMV AAYHK DALXD OSWMK CNWUL GEWUM BHLOH NPYDE WIPWT BDGEU DEUVD FGXLI VEUDM AMERP FFCNK MZGLH WZHDC GKMZA BYOZL HKSOE EZGBT BQAKE NIHVV AVLHE UQRZH BUDFE WYKLA YKYBG EWQZK ENHHA IIYSB WFSIL LQBWV LWHXB WHWYF KRVMA BIGKZ IWOIW GFAHY NILXC MZHUL HLTWX RMAOT BDGHU LRAVQ DIVMM ATIUS BZOLS OLOAQ ZKENQ RVGLA BIGPF DKWTS XXAIX CTFNP GKYFI XTBWH XBWAF OHEUL WWNWL GDTWW WOEFH LOHBM ALGSG WWTHI UMGXT GRLOH YORKR OWKEY EHSXE LUDKD LELLR MBWWP MVFRQ RAGRD IYNGY BKYXD FRUOR TSLQB WCLWV FYIKX GBFBL DGMBL NNHFY LOTBC DSIWC DLBUD ABBTN PIABC PZOXE NLBNW VKTFI ZIGUO RGLFG HTQRP AVAHB ILWYS TMHFM GEGAF BBZHW XNRSB LBRL
Plaintext
Herr Goering,
It is with pride that I write to inform you that the girl Sara has been found. She is living with a gondolier in an apartment on Calle Stagneri. From our own investigation it appears that this gondolier is a member of the family that served the infamous Caravello, whose taste in art was as refined and expensive as his other tastes were crude and extravagant. The Caravello art collection consisted entirely of hitherto unknown masterpieces by the greatest artists, and it was celebrated throughout Europe, yet no-one could ever understand how he could have afforded the cost of building it. The connection with Sara and her family could suggest a different explanation: the entire collection may have been forged. Before we discovered her remarkable talent it would not have been possible to believe that any one person could master the styles of so many of the great artists, and a conspiracy of a number forgers to produce such a collection could never have been kept a secret for so long. We do not yet know which member of the remarkable Ghetto family is responsible, and my desire to meet this young woman is increased by my need to find out. I am reluctant to use our more potent methods of persuasion lest we destroy her precious gift, so our agents are watching the boats carefully to try to discover who else she may be working with. We dare not approach the family of the gondolier in case she runs again, but once we have access to someone she cares about, it will be easy to use her empathy to our own advantage. I will inform you the moment we have the girl under control.
Heil Hitler
Herr Goering,
It is with pride that I write to inform you that the girl Sara has been found. She is living with a gondolier in an apartment on Calle Stagneri. From our own investigation it appears that this gondolier is a member of the family that served the infamous Caravello, whose taste in art was as refined and expensive as his other tastes were crude and extravagant. The Caravello art collection consisted entirely of hitherto unknown masterpieces by the greatest artists, and it was celebrated throughout Europe, yet no-one could ever understand how he could have afforded the cost of building it. The connection with Sara and her family could suggest a different explanation: the entire collection may have been forged. Before we discovered her remarkable talent it would not have been possible to believe that any one person could master the styles of so many of the great artists, and a conspiracy of a number forgers to produce such a collection could never have been kept a secret for so long. We do not yet know which member of the remarkable Ghetto family is responsible, and my desire to meet this young woman is increased by my need to find out. I am reluctant to use our more potent methods of persuasion lest we destroy her precious gift, so our agents are watching the boats carefully to try to discover who else she may be working with. We dare not approach the family of the gondolier in case she runs again, but once we have access to someone she cares about, it will be easy to use her empathy to our own advantage. I will inform you the moment we have the girl under control.
Heil Hitler
Ciphertext
SHDTV VPDSW MRPAW AMQAI GRUDV GJMIA XMNNT WHDAG KUHBP BVEIQ UILRT AWAIL JJGBO PLVFV WSZMV VBKAO OVTTF OPTQH WUGZI AABKI IOVHQ QAGTL WVGEM AGQWG WCIGJ IGHVX CGVHD RPRPQ FRVKX GLWHZ MAETR SZLEG XRRON EQUWH ZVNBQ DRXPV XMVTC MZQVD LDANJ IVHVL NRZHT OGNFD HNOCE QCVTD URQDH ROPRN IVTAW EVGBE VZFVP HNVHV ULLSX WIGZH DOPNV XHRPO TKIZA NIACA VOXQN VMRFO PRIPH TOWSC ULLTI AFBKA OISVM UHZPN FBDKZ VGJMS ADVGK VJTJQ GCTBI OPNFJ HEIQA VPHIM KHUBR DTNBT IWLZI FVARM ZXNTB RFOPR VERYZ IEUQW WVAZK AVIIO EGIGT CMEGX RROGB WZVEG NNPLB OPEVN TVEZB UCBWH ZGPCU HTJBU GKRNX THUQR NOPNV BKEBP RVBRS CMYFW QTJPR TJHCV CFGBK ETKBW TGNOU NMMDC JVIKV FIIOS QZJEM GVFWQ TWCLV PDTVV QKLRN OJRNQ HVZBU CBWHZ GJQCO DCIIG THTKM EWOJI VWSHM UIOBB CVBOI MRNAH OIKRV PHYCI QJWOD JNVVB KEHAR NDHSO PRPIC INPNX MIAGT RPNRR OPRUI PEOZV ESWHV BSQWO EYMIG ZBOIM RNAHT CMCTM WEIKR VPDTO PRRIL NOQAI XHRPO TKIVH JERFB RGZZV YIVTC MBTQJ IIIYK BZANI SCSHP JAFKJ OYOPR DMVTA IXGQQ AMBUK AWOMG VFWQT FVBYE KEOPR TXHRP OTKIZ ANQAQ VWHZL REMST DWAQZ QOOOV XMQTC MVTAN IGTFV PHGCM GVWIA HQYAK DNOPN XMEEZ VFJWU TJNZQ VHYJZ VPNOU ZVPGI QDCMJ CAQOO QAUQG EAWEN WQGZQ GJMUW VGGJM IAFMJ CAUEN BBTMG TJNEC VFEVV QVPHO MQTKV DLRIF JQGDZ VNYIB WCMAH IOSXP HPORR YMEGL VAMIG QKRPT BUGXD RDAZQ VDLDA NJMEE GQRXM GAGWA IELTC BUGZH SOWSV PHWJZ YFBKA OQGYI VTCMB TQJII IYUIU AHCFV PDVZS AQEQT CMGTC HSOWE AIQDK ZBFCF EYIAG EDNYI YOWVT KMEHM FTAIX GNRRC QZDCW UNMQC VRLYA PTISO ATRCL SIKMS TWPTC MPGTO AMBBO IUKOP RDWDR YEVVP WHZVN BQHMW TROSQ ORQAI BKAOI GUWPE KWVPB WHZNB TOHRT EBWTG BZLVU KRVZZ RFAKE HCFVP DVZPB RMGTC IGVPH NVHVU ERUGL OGJOA HMQHW UTCMG JMITJ NGJMP OIIYK ADPMW IKLLN BBUGX HRAMP VKRVZ ZSQZK EMWJP NDMDT LUWUI BQACT FRDUR VPDTG MSVWQ EHGFV MUYRP RTMZA NBUGX DIIBV POVHZ ZRRTD CZLFJ MFOPT QPBKA QMGTI YEGTR FARUO PJKBK TCMCG ZXGBQ NHWUG ZZLUQ QCZQG YIVPV QAVMG OIIOQ IUDIW GUWPE OPVPO VHZKB WTGEV AVNGF OIKRC TVONP ROCVT CIIGT HFOBU GXDII BVPOE ECQAF JXTVK PQZGI IOGQB KEMMC QZWTC MUQCV EDVZQ VWMVZ GTMZA NBUQZ RUBPY AAHAM KUGLE YZFCG ZWSOP RPQVA RQGJM UTJWY UIQDR WEMAL NOPRX MQIXM NRIUT HMAVE HRZPV FLHNW MUKVG TCMCC VHLNQ EGUHM WMEGL VAMIF TMPAM SSTWP HZZQK IUYDE NUVHA MTLEI XGCBY CAWND OUVPH CVURV WFHZK XQVPE VVQKR XSOPN FBLMZ BBVCU NOPRE IQVVA NIILN NBGJM ZAGTV PBKEN PNFWZ SOPRO WQAGQ FCEDS IBCCQ QTZLB PKDNQ IFUWZ HVBRN AHWJC YFAKE CIIGJ HEIXN KVWII OVVWR KVTBQ SGORV GJMUE OPVUI ITZZA QWQIO QFXMU YYIEM QQTCM OCKNC JZAGZ RFOPN VKHLG IEYQW HIWAC BXRVT YKOKT VVQCB KIXSP QIWII OBHLL ROIAF LXSOW AVPHW VTYUE KIXPF GMPSO WNDAR RWIAA QOLPU VPIWI JVYGI YIIOV VPDRY BBOIN EJCGF MWADT FGDHN RQGJI JOJLG QZFHD NLQCG IYVGM VRWDB JCAWH ZZRAW XWJCY FVHVZ ZSKVG IOJRJ QQDVK NOWXF GITGL ILVXC KVQEY BBVPH WVTYK NRUIL GJMSE MCTIQ DCJXL VPHDD ATWQV ERIFC ERRFW SCZWT CMPCV YANBU KKNLT KBCBH DRQGJ JUIXS QWAWA ILQKZ WMDFR FELTC JVPLH RNAUG UXSOP NXMVM POTNM GDJEA HZRMO PRCBW IXAGW LLODB JCAIA NBRPM GTJBU GEDLG EVVPV OABYG IGWZL TGAMA HURFQ QTJBU GKUAX SFKVW HZUBT BDRZI FABRR ZUBXM EUOMN UQOYX WIGZH DRQGJ URRZW SVPHD DZGKK DNNMR YPBNJ WAGAS OOBRF QWBZN BTMWH ZXRTC JGDIP QXBWV ANPWW HZZZC AWEMX VGKHB PBVVJ HGNBU GYXEN BVQVR FRPRT MWHZW EKOLN VTZKO KTWMV CUQOO AHTMZ ERQYN MYEMN VPLLT VVQKI PCZZG CQQTC MSTMQ CCEVN TQOOT VMMLT DNJGB HLGBU GUWHV BVYWX LYAHI OHSOB UCBZE FMRRQ WTJWH TAHLQ MFUQQ CZBUG XHRPO TKIFO KGJCA GENQT PMGTJ AGCGX NYMGG KWEYC ANQNE OPRGI JLZMZ DTHMQ MEUQR NHILD MZENP BWTGS RQGEP WHZUN PLIOM ORVIE OPBVV EHCVV OWZQT CMACH LVZZF KWQAI LZCGE EIWBP MZIGT RXMUK IWJVP DTOPR RILNO QAIQQ TCMYQ CYRZQ FLCVT VKBRG VOHMJ JMUEJ CGVPH RZANT IDNYP RTNDM DTLCZ HGPIE FQQGO PRQZL GDVNN IQDDN VGDHR BMGVP HCCIA EMLPG IAVWJ OCCAV QQGAW EKBPA TJRAW XWJCY FRRII URJIU RT
SHDTV VPDSW MRPAW AMQAI GRUDV GJMIA XMNNT WHDAG KUHBP BVEIQ UILRT AWAIL JJGBO PLVFV WSZMV VBKAO OVTTF OPTQH WUGZI AABKI IOVHQ QAGTL WVGEM AGQWG WCIGJ IGHVX CGVHD RPRPQ FRVKX GLWHZ MAETR SZLEG XRRON EQUWH ZVNBQ DRXPV XMVTC MZQVD LDANJ IVHVL NRZHT OGNFD HNOCE QCVTD URQDH ROPRN IVTAW EVGBE VZFVP HNVHV ULLSX WIGZH DOPNV XHRPO TKIZA NIACA VOXQN VMRFO PRIPH TOWSC ULLTI AFBKA OISVM UHZPN FBDKZ VGJMS ADVGK VJTJQ GCTBI OPNFJ HEIQA VPHIM KHUBR DTNBT IWLZI FVARM ZXNTB RFOPR VERYZ IEUQW WVAZK AVIIO EGIGT CMEGX RROGB WZVEG NNPLB OPEVN TVEZB UCBWH ZGPCU HTJBU GKRNX THUQR NOPNV BKEBP RVBRS CMYFW QTJPR TJHCV CFGBK ETKBW TGNOU NMMDC JVIKV FIIOS QZJEM GVFWQ TWCLV PDTVV QKLRN OJRNQ HVZBU CBWHZ GJQCO DCIIG THTKM EWOJI VWSHM UIOBB CVBOI MRNAH OIKRV PHYCI QJWOD JNVVB KEHAR NDHSO PRPIC INPNX MIAGT RPNRR OPRUI PEOZV ESWHV BSQWO EYMIG ZBOIM RNAHT CMCTM WEIKR VPDTO PRRIL NOQAI XHRPO TKIVH JERFB RGZZV YIVTC MBTQJ IIIYK BZANI SCSHP JAFKJ OYOPR DMVTA IXGQQ AMBUK AWOMG VFWQT FVBYE KEOPR TXHRP OTKIZ ANQAQ VWHZL REMST DWAQZ QOOOV XMQTC MVTAN IGTFV PHGCM GVWIA HQYAK DNOPN XMEEZ VFJWU TJNZQ VHYJZ VPNOU ZVPGI QDCMJ CAQOO QAUQG EAWEN WQGZQ GJMUW VGGJM IAFMJ CAUEN BBTMG TJNEC VFEVV QVPHO MQTKV DLRIF JQGDZ VNYIB WCMAH IOSXP HPORR YMEGL VAMIG QKRPT BUGXD RDAZQ VDLDA NJMEE GQRXM GAGWA IELTC BUGZH SOWSV PHWJZ YFBKA OQGYI VTCMB TQJII IYUIU AHCFV PDVZS AQEQT CMGTC HSOWE AIQDK ZBFCF EYIAG EDNYI YOWVT KMEHM FTAIX GNRRC QZDCW UNMQC VRLYA PTISO ATRCL SIKMS TWPTC MPGTO AMBBO IUKOP RDWDR YEVVP WHZVN BQHMW TROSQ ORQAI BKAOI GUWPE KWVPB WHZNB TOHRT EBWTG BZLVU KRVZZ RFAKE HCFVP DVZPB RMGTC IGVPH NVHVU ERUGL OGJOA HMQHW UTCMG JMITJ NGJMP OIIYK ADPMW IKLLN BBUGX HRAMP VKRVZ ZSQZK EMWJP NDMDT LUWUI BQACT FRDUR VPDTG MSVWQ EHGFV MUYRP RTMZA NBUGX DIIBV POVHZ ZRRTD CZLFJ MFOPT QPBKA QMGTI YEGTR FARUO PJKBK TCMCG ZXGBQ NHWUG ZZLUQ QCZQG YIVPV QAVMG OIIOQ IUDIW GUWPE OPVPO VHZKB WTGEV AVNGF OIKRC TVONP ROCVT CIIGT HFOBU GXDII BVPOE ECQAF JXTVK PQZGI IOGQB KEMMC QZWTC MUQCV EDVZQ VWMVZ GTMZA NBUQZ RUBPY AAHAM KUGLE YZFCG ZWSOP RPQVA RQGJM UTJWY UIQDR WEMAL NOPRX MQIXM NRIUT HMAVE HRZPV FLHNW MUKVG TCMCC VHLNQ EGUHM WMEGL VAMIF TMPAM SSTWP HZZQK IUYDE NUVHA MTLEI XGCBY CAWND OUVPH CVURV WFHZK XQVPE VVQKR XSOPN FBLMZ BBVCU NOPRE IQVVA NIILN NBGJM ZAGTV PBKEN PNFWZ SOPRO WQAGQ FCEDS IBCCQ QTZLB PKDNQ IFUWZ HVBRN AHWJC YFAKE CIIGJ HEIXN KVWII OVVWR KVTBQ SGORV GJMUE OPVUI ITZZA QWQIO QFXMU YYIEM QQTCM OCKNC JZAGZ RFOPN VKHLG IEYQW HIWAC BXRVT YKOKT VVQCB KIXSP QIWII OBHLL ROIAF LXSOW AVPHW VTYUE KIXPF GMPSO WNDAR RWIAA QOLPU VPIWI JVYGI YIIOV VPDRY BBOIN EJCGF MWADT FGDHN RQGJI JOJLG QZFHD NLQCG IYVGM VRWDB JCAWH ZZRAW XWJCY FVHVZ ZSKVG IOJRJ QQDVK NOWXF GITGL ILVXC KVQEY BBVPH WVTYK NRUIL GJMSE MCTIQ DCJXL VPHDD ATWQV ERIFC ERRFW SCZWT CMPCV YANBU KKNLT KBCBH DRQGJ JUIXS QWAWA ILQKZ WMDFR FELTC JVPLH RNAUG UXSOP NXMVM POTNM GDJEA HZRMO PRCBW IXAGW LLODB JCAIA NBRPM GTJBU GEDLG EVVPV OABYG IGWZL TGAMA HURFQ QTJBU GKUAX SFKVW HZUBT BDRZI FABRR ZUBXM EUOMN UQOYX WIGZH DRQGJ URRZW SVPHD DZGKK DNNMR YPBNJ WAGAS OOBRF QWBZN BTMWH ZXRTC JGDIP QXBWV ANPWW HZZZC AWEMX VGKHB PBVVJ HGNBU GYXEN BVQVR FRPRT MWHZW EKOLN VTZKO KTWMV CUQOO AHTMZ ERQYN MYEMN VPLLT VVQKI PCZZG CQQTC MSTMQ CCEVN TQOOT VMMLT DNJGB HLGBU GUWHV BVYWX LYAHI OHSOB UCBZE FMRRQ WTJWH TAHLQ MFUQQ CZBUG XHRPO TKIFO KGJCA GENQT PMGTJ AGCGX NYMGG KWEYC ANQNE OPRGI JLZMZ DTHMQ MEUQR NHILD MZENP BWTGS RQGEP WHZUN PLIOM ORVIE OPBVV EHCVV OWZQT CMACH LVZZF KWQAI LZCGE EIWBP MZIGT RXMUK IWJVP DTOPR RILNO QAIQQ TCMYQ CYRZQ FLCVT VKBRG VOHMJ JMUEJ CGVPH RZANT IDNYP RTNDM DTLCZ HGPIE FQQGO PRQZL GDVNN IQDDN VGDHR BMGVP HCCIA EMLPG IAVWJ OCCAV QQGAW EKBPA TJRAW XWJCY FRRII URJIU RT
Plaintext
Phil, It has been staring you in the face all this time, but I can understand why you didn’t see it, that girl could forge anything.
I finally understood what had happened when I cracked the enclosed report from the Nazi archives. The Mona Lisa has had a pretty adventurous time over the last forty years. The Nazis discovered that Peruggia was an associate of the Ghetto family and that after he had taken the painting to Italy it had been in their custody for at least some part of the two years it was missing. Read the report yourself and you will see that they came to the conclusion that the Ghettos held on to her because they couldn’t make a convincing forgery. I don’t buy that and I don’t believe that they would have let Peruggia offer it to anyone else once they had hold of it themselves. The Nazis have fallen for the same trick that fooled everyone else; the pretence that the painting Peruggia showed to Geri was the original. It was a fake, possibly the best fake in art history.
I don’t know whether Peruggia was in on the deception or not. Given their skills, the Ghetto family can’t have been short of money or influence and he was not inside for long. Either way the fake was restored to France and the original was hidden away.
When Falschung ordered Sara to copy the Paris Mona Lisa he believed, along with the rest of the world, that it was the original. Sara must have known the true story and produced a new, and almost perfect, fake for him, but used an old scrap of lead pipe from the cellar to mark the board with the Nazi emblem, knowing that at some point the forgery would be discovered. She must have hoped that the Nazis would be blamed for the theft of the Mona Lisa, providing the perfect cover for her own family’s original crime.
That left one mystery. Where was the painting she replaced? She couldn't have travelled south with the Peruggia forgery since it was painted on a board - not something she could easily conceal - so she must have left the painting behind, but, according to the report, the house in Montmartre was thoroughly searched by experts.
Then I saw it! Her tools and works in the Venice apartment were hidden behind the panels. I remembered Sara’s remark from her diary: “I was nearly caught last night. He came to check on me and I just had time to turn the canvas against the wall in the shadows.” The Mona Lisa wasn’t painted on canvas so what else would she have been painting? I took a look down there this afternoon. It is very dark in the back corner of that cellar, with no natural light and a thick coating of dirt and dust on the walls which seems to absorb any illumination leaving it hard to make out details even with a good torch. If you didn’t know it was there you would never find it. Behind a camouflaged flap pinned to the wall I found the Peruggia copy. The disguise was a work of art, the canvas thickly coated with brick dust and dirt mixed with binders she must have smuggled down from the attic studio. It was fastened to the wall with soft lead wedges jammed into the cracks in the mortar. Easy to remove but easily covered with more of the dirt. I can see why no-one spotted it before.
The Peruggia copy was another masterpiece, but it begs the question of where the original might be. I am not sure we will ever find it and I am certain the French will not like it if we tell them that. I would suggest that we keep it to ourselves.Since the Peruggia copy was designed to stay undetected, unlike the Eagle emblem version, maybe we should switch them and forget about it. We can burn the Nazi version and maybe no-one will ever know that the painting in the Louvre is just a copy. Somewhere out there Sara and her family are guarding the original, and if I ever get the chance I plan to go hunting for it, maybe you would join me?
Harry
Phil, It has been staring you in the face all this time, but I can understand why you didn’t see it, that girl could forge anything.
I finally understood what had happened when I cracked the enclosed report from the Nazi archives. The Mona Lisa has had a pretty adventurous time over the last forty years. The Nazis discovered that Peruggia was an associate of the Ghetto family and that after he had taken the painting to Italy it had been in their custody for at least some part of the two years it was missing. Read the report yourself and you will see that they came to the conclusion that the Ghettos held on to her because they couldn’t make a convincing forgery. I don’t buy that and I don’t believe that they would have let Peruggia offer it to anyone else once they had hold of it themselves. The Nazis have fallen for the same trick that fooled everyone else; the pretence that the painting Peruggia showed to Geri was the original. It was a fake, possibly the best fake in art history.
I don’t know whether Peruggia was in on the deception or not. Given their skills, the Ghetto family can’t have been short of money or influence and he was not inside for long. Either way the fake was restored to France and the original was hidden away.
When Falschung ordered Sara to copy the Paris Mona Lisa he believed, along with the rest of the world, that it was the original. Sara must have known the true story and produced a new, and almost perfect, fake for him, but used an old scrap of lead pipe from the cellar to mark the board with the Nazi emblem, knowing that at some point the forgery would be discovered. She must have hoped that the Nazis would be blamed for the theft of the Mona Lisa, providing the perfect cover for her own family’s original crime.
That left one mystery. Where was the painting she replaced? She couldn't have travelled south with the Peruggia forgery since it was painted on a board - not something she could easily conceal - so she must have left the painting behind, but, according to the report, the house in Montmartre was thoroughly searched by experts.
Then I saw it! Her tools and works in the Venice apartment were hidden behind the panels. I remembered Sara’s remark from her diary: “I was nearly caught last night. He came to check on me and I just had time to turn the canvas against the wall in the shadows.” The Mona Lisa wasn’t painted on canvas so what else would she have been painting? I took a look down there this afternoon. It is very dark in the back corner of that cellar, with no natural light and a thick coating of dirt and dust on the walls which seems to absorb any illumination leaving it hard to make out details even with a good torch. If you didn’t know it was there you would never find it. Behind a camouflaged flap pinned to the wall I found the Peruggia copy. The disguise was a work of art, the canvas thickly coated with brick dust and dirt mixed with binders she must have smuggled down from the attic studio. It was fastened to the wall with soft lead wedges jammed into the cracks in the mortar. Easy to remove but easily covered with more of the dirt. I can see why no-one spotted it before.
The Peruggia copy was another masterpiece, but it begs the question of where the original might be. I am not sure we will ever find it and I am certain the French will not like it if we tell them that. I would suggest that we keep it to ourselves.Since the Peruggia copy was designed to stay undetected, unlike the Eagle emblem version, maybe we should switch them and forget about it. We can burn the Nazi version and maybe no-one will ever know that the painting in the Louvre is just a copy. Somewhere out there Sara and her family are guarding the original, and if I ever get the chance I plan to go hunting for it, maybe you would join me?
Harry
Ciphertext
GRLZE HNRAO TNNPM PVKUG UFLIG YBRPN OSTUH KMGLT TUBRS YUGGN OAFXD ALVEI EQGRN UGRLO LNGAL UMHGR LHLIM AZGBA AYEIM PGRLD KELRT QNPRN ZHGAT ULGHM EUPLU QRATP LPKIT YGRHB GYUNM PPMER TYIOU GANAL MPBVT ADAEI GDUZA RKTPO AOLTU FKZRL UGEPP LADTF ADKEB LUGRA VDPLH KMGRL RAEPR DKEUI XLPMF ADGKH IOTQO AEPUH MHAPK GGTRU TAHZF YBNEP GRUGN ACXOU TUMRG YGRNI IEAMP LHLIN VBAOP MMYOK TGYGG TREAY GTYDG AAMAY GYBRS YUGGN ADKEB LUGRA GRELU GATBP TYKOH GUHTA HZFYB NRPTY MAUMN LPNNL KOOKT GYGGT UGOAY GGTZC GTNPV DXMKO DEEXA KQFIZ RARLK OTAHZ FYBNL PBVDA SNGTP NMGRM ARKGA TRATH BNEPA ORLUN BRKEN PIZRA UNUGR LRDER EHRAM VKOLY FBEIN GHMAD ARVDA LUGRA RDSVT ADATU UOBAA GLYGT OIARE DPNIO UFPVG AQYLY GTNGA OEIEQ GRHBG YUNBL NKEXE ICDAG RENAY AUGEP TAHZF YBNLI NBGUB RYATU MRGTU GATBP TYKOH CDBMC HUNSG RNKMG HZTUA DPNIO EPUGA NAOIE IPAMY EUNUA KRQHR DIELR SPEPR EKMGT LTQXG RUGRA UGGEY DARTO BIERU HTOVK FLAMT NUNUA KRQHR DFWGD QUBIE RHMEH RANAP LSYUG EPTUE BANTP OMOIY KEPDE GTSEK MLTDA LPMPA DARTA HOBVT LYAOK OGRAB LNKEX NPTLL NTQMU PMFAG YBRSY UGLGL IMAVN TYGTL REQUO MREQG RNIIE AMPLT OPNRM TGMHU GLNBR LKLPY GARLW LDAPK GMPYG FBOKS PDYRE EROIT HGUUH ATHUR QGDUG ATBPT YKOHC PUUGE PTAHZ FYBNL PVBPN GTGDZ KARUG KOUGR GBVTV ARTPE SVDTU BRSYU GATBP TYKOC YLPAR UPEOR LUNHL EIGDE IAKTM KZKOU ZAUMU TLXLP MIOKV MAEAG YZHTY IUDAM PUNHK UHAKI EYGUG RDGQP ANPNA UMHMZ HDAYG VSRAU TKOAR QFPOT NUGGN AREPZ KDOXM UHUGL GEPGR AEEIL KXENA PUGTE IUTVK FLDFI OPNOT GYKHI NIAGT KBLGU HUGDY ARQGG RECOA AFPUO BMREK UOIUG YBRUT GRVKF LAFLG UZKEU GRGUZ TLKON ITYIL EUARB RPFLY GTUGU HUZHB EXTLD AFBRL EIEQG RILYG AODEP LKEZK DOUMB LEUUG RARGB AAGLY GTBDP ERMHT RLEIA QLPTL EQMZU ZLZAR TUUHE PKITY RDNSG ROUPT ANUTR EGBLP ARUPE ORLUN NPULM RRDPL TUEBK OBTMU SGUHU EMZIU PMTYA DMTNP UGRLM PHKYA EZMHN IARMH PLADQ XUHQK IOGDD ERLGA BOKEV BTGFX KOUGG NIORK AMRAU FINAG AOTNP LBRSV TVHKK GRSPM IOUNE INUGR AUDAU NHMZH GTSPO ANAUF RAHME HRANA PLARU ESREG WSPOP MYGEI RKZHL YTAEU QXUZE LGABR ALUAL TTLEQ KRGYD GSYUG LGADQ RMBYD AKEKN UDEAR DLWNO IYQBR SYUGM PVDTU GRZKD OMHUG GNGRS YUNBL NKEXV KUGZN ZHTAL OMPPM IOKVU ZELAM NDUNU ALTGT UNTGM HUGLT DYUHM QUNZN PRKEE INUGR EUNUG RHSOH RALPL IDAMI MSEGT ULYLN EILKE NADPN UPLRH MEZUZ LUPQU IEUKO UZDZU HOCAN RFNPE RLZ
GRLZE HNRAO TNNPM PVKUG UFLIG YBRPN OSTUH KMGLT TUBRS YUGGN OAFXD ALVEI EQGRN UGRLO LNGAL UMHGR LHLIM AZGBA AYEIM PGRLD KELRT QNPRN ZHGAT ULGHM EUPLU QRATP LPKIT YGRHB GYUNM PPMER TYIOU GANAL MPBVT ADAEI GDUZA RKTPO AOLTU FKZRL UGEPP LADTF ADKEB LUGRA VDPLH KMGRL RAEPR DKEUI XLPMF ADGKH IOTQO AEPUH MHAPK GGTRU TAHZF YBNEP GRUGN ACXOU TUMRG YGRNI IEAMP LHLIN VBAOP MMYOK TGYGG TREAY GTYDG AAMAY GYBRS YUGGN ADKEB LUGRA GRELU GATBP TYKOH GUHTA HZFYB NRPTY MAUMN LPNNL KOOKT GYGGT UGOAY GGTZC GTNPV DXMKO DEEXA KQFIZ RARLK OTAHZ FYBNL PBVDA SNGTP NMGRM ARKGA TRATH BNEPA ORLUN BRKEN PIZRA UNUGR LRDER EHRAM VKOLY FBEIN GHMAD ARVDA LUGRA RDSVT ADATU UOBAA GLYGT OIARE DPNIO UFPVG AQYLY GTNGA OEIEQ GRHBG YUNBL NKEXE ICDAG RENAY AUGEP TAHZF YBNLI NBGUB RYATU MRGTU GATBP TYKOH CDBMC HUNSG RNKMG HZTUA DPNIO EPUGA NAOIE IPAMY EUNUA KRQHR DIELR SPEPR EKMGT LTQXG RUGRA UGGEY DARTO BIERU HTOVK FLAMT NUNUA KRQHR DFWGD QUBIE RHMEH RANAP LSYUG EPTUE BANTP OMOIY KEPDE GTSEK MLTDA LPMPA DARTA HOBVT LYAOK OGRAB LNKEX NPTLL NTQMU PMFAG YBRSY UGLGL IMAVN TYGTL REQUO MREQG RNIIE AMPLT OPNRM TGMHU GLNBR LKLPY GARLW LDAPK GMPYG FBOKS PDYRE EROIT HGUUH ATHUR QGDUG ATBPT YKOHC PUUGE PTAHZ FYBNL PVBPN GTGDZ KARUG KOUGR GBVTV ARTPE SVDTU BRSYU GATBP TYKOC YLPAR UPEOR LUNHL EIGDE IAKTM KZKOU ZAUMU TLXLP MIOKV MAEAG YZHTY IUDAM PUNHK UHAKI EYGUG RDGQP ANPNA UMHMZ HDAYG VSRAU TKOAR QFPOT NUGGN AREPZ KDOXM UHUGL GEPGR AEEIL KXENA PUGTE IUTVK FLDFI OPNOT GYKHI NIAGT KBLGU HUGDY ARQGG RECOA AFPUO BMREK UOIUG YBRUT GRVKF LAFLG UZKEU GRGUZ TLKON ITYIL EUARB RPFLY GTUGU HUZHB EXTLD AFBRL EIEQG RILYG AODEP LKEZK DOUMB LEUUG RARGB AAGLY GTBDP ERMHT RLEIA QLPTL EQMZU ZLZAR TUUHE PKITY RDNSG ROUPT ANUTR EGBLP ARUPE ORLUN NPULM RRDPL TUEBK OBTMU SGUHU EMZIU PMTYA DMTNP UGRLM PHKYA EZMHN IARMH PLADQ XUHQK IOGDD ERLGA BOKEV BTGFX KOUGG NIORK AMRAU FINAG AOTNP LBRSV TVHKK GRSPM IOUNE INUGR AUDAU NHMZH GTSPO ANAUF RAHME HRANA PLARU ESREG WSPOP MYGEI RKZHL YTAEU QXUZE LGABR ALUAL TTLEQ KRGYD GSYUG LGADQ RMBYD AKEKN UDEAR DLWNO IYQBR SYUGM PVDTU GRZKD OMHUG GNGRS YUNBL NKEXV KUGZN ZHTAL OMPPM IOKVU ZELAM NDUNU ALTGT UNTGM HUGLT DYUHM QUNZN PRKEE INUGR EUNUG RHSOH RALPL IDAMI MSEGT ULYLN EILKE NADPN UPLRH MEZUZ LUPQU IEUKO UZDZU HOCAN RFNPE RLZ
Plaintext
Herr Goering,
It is with shame that I must confess that the girl Sara and the other members of her family have vanished, and despite our best efforts at persuasion, the Ghetto is silent on their disappearance. Our enquiries showed that Sara’s grandfather was a confederate and possible co-conspirator of Vincenzo Peruggia, the thief who stole the Mona Lisa from Paris in Nineteen Eleven. We believe that the grandfather held the painting for Peruggia until some time in Nineteen Thirteen, when it was finally discovered in Peruggia’s apartment in Florence. Peruggia tried to hand it over to the dealer Geri in exchange for a reward. There appears to have been no relationship between Geri and the Ghetto family and we believe that Peruggia might have stolen the painting back from them in frustration at their inability to produce an adequate likeness. Whether they were unable or unwilling to produce acceptable forgeries at that stage is unknown. A talent like Sara’s is rare, perhaps even in her family. It seems possible that the family intended to hold the Mona Lisa until one of them had mastered da Vinci’s technique well enough to reproduce the painting but that Peruggia’s patience wore thin. The happy result was that the painting was returned to France and is now in our possession.
I will return to Paris to coordinate the activities of our art experts in rescuing the great works for the Fatherland. My lieutenants will continue to comb Venice for the wretched girl, but I hold no hope that she will be found.
The house in Montmartre has been thoroughly searched and the materials and works of art there have been catalogued and passed to our restoration team. The house itself has returned to its role as a staging post for troops in transit.
The discovery of more of Sara’s work, concealed behind panels in the gondolier’s home, brings a happy conclusion to another part of our enquiries. Her forgeries are truly exquisite and our experts would be hard pressed to detect the fraud if we did not already know that this was the work of the Ghetto family.
With your permission I would like to present one of these works to you, and another to the Fuhrer as a mark of my esteem and my gratitude for your support in our work.
Heil Hitler.
Herr Goering,
It is with shame that I must confess that the girl Sara and the other members of her family have vanished, and despite our best efforts at persuasion, the Ghetto is silent on their disappearance. Our enquiries showed that Sara’s grandfather was a confederate and possible co-conspirator of Vincenzo Peruggia, the thief who stole the Mona Lisa from Paris in Nineteen Eleven. We believe that the grandfather held the painting for Peruggia until some time in Nineteen Thirteen, when it was finally discovered in Peruggia’s apartment in Florence. Peruggia tried to hand it over to the dealer Geri in exchange for a reward. There appears to have been no relationship between Geri and the Ghetto family and we believe that Peruggia might have stolen the painting back from them in frustration at their inability to produce an adequate likeness. Whether they were unable or unwilling to produce acceptable forgeries at that stage is unknown. A talent like Sara’s is rare, perhaps even in her family. It seems possible that the family intended to hold the Mona Lisa until one of them had mastered da Vinci’s technique well enough to reproduce the painting but that Peruggia’s patience wore thin. The happy result was that the painting was returned to France and is now in our possession.
I will return to Paris to coordinate the activities of our art experts in rescuing the great works for the Fatherland. My lieutenants will continue to comb Venice for the wretched girl, but I hold no hope that she will be found.
The house in Montmartre has been thoroughly searched and the materials and works of art there have been catalogued and passed to our restoration team. The house itself has returned to its role as a staging post for troops in transit.
The discovery of more of Sara’s work, concealed behind panels in the gondolier’s home, brings a happy conclusion to another part of our enquiries. Her forgeries are truly exquisite and our experts would be hard pressed to detect the fraud if we did not already know that this was the work of the Ghetto family.
With your permission I would like to present one of these works to you, and another to the Fuhrer as a mark of my esteem and my gratitude for your support in our work.
Heil Hitler.