Hans, living in Vienna during the Great Depression, intends to drown himself in the river after losing his livelihood. While there he meets a girl named Anna after pulling her from the river.

German adaptation of Maurice Leblanc's "Arsène Lupin versus Herlock Sholmes" stories. German copyright laws allowed the producers to return "Sholmes" to the proper "Sherlock Holmes" who was portrayed by Viggo Larsen.

Based on the play and subsequent operetta of the same name.