1915, mayor de Bellicourt works on the German commandant for permission to see the baroness, but she flirts with cavalry officers- until they're transferred to the eastern front. Journalist Reynaert, jailed for anti-German reporting, is released after a year. He studies forensic medicine, works and teaches in Geneva. In Houtegem the baron goes missing, and later woodland game warden Sassen shortly after he told only the mayor 'a horrible secret about the baron' and made sure estate laborers ended up finding his corps. He also stumbled on a villagers smuggling trail. The mayor tries to have the corps officially declared unidentifiable, but fails in the end. Reynaerts' son has to stop printing the newspaper in Holland when people get scared to help him, until the Novemebr 11, 1918 armistice. Dad returns, determined to clear things up, but fear still rules.
—KGF Vissers