Spielberger, a native of Stuttgart, Germany, with a wife and daughter, was a member of the elite Waffen SS during World War II. He was ordered by his superior, Alfred, to safeguard a painting titled 'The Twelve Knights Led by Brunhilda'. With SS authorization, Spielberger boarded U-1324 as it departed from Kiel, already escorting Lt. Col Matsuda back to Japanese-held Batavia in Indonesia (now Jakarta).
Unlike Matsuda, who mingled freely with the crew, Spielberger rarely left his quarters. The one time he did, he objected to Captain Wentzel Ahbe's decision to torpedo a British carrier in the Indian Ocean, arguing that it wouldn't change the war's outcome. Ahbe was taken aback by Spielberger's defeatist attitude but proceeded with the attack, stating that unless instructed otherwise by superiors, he and his crew would fight until the end.
The voyage remained uneventful until U-1324 neared its destination. There, they encountered a U.S. Navy patrol on the surface searching for Japanese submarines. Despite firing a torpedo to divert attention, one destroyer persisted, forcing Ahbe to take the submarine into silent running. When the destroyer activated its sonar and fired depth charges, U-1324 plunged nose-first to the ocean floor, never to resurface.
Upon learning about their dire situation from surviving crewmembers, Ahbe relieved them of duty so they could face death on their own terms (Matsuda had already committed seppuku). After retiring to contemplate his fate, Ahbe met Spielberger, who demanded to know when they'd be surfacing. Upon hearing the bad news, Spielberger revealed his mission: to deliver and hide the painting until the Nazis regained power. By now, Ahbe was repulsed by Spielberger's defeatism and told him that perhaps the sub's sinking was divine retribution for his crew's sacrifices and expressed disgust at sharing a coffin with an SS officer.
Offended by what he perceived as anti-Nazi sentiments, Spielberger ordered Ahbe to retract his words, but Ahbe continued to calmly criticize him. Finally, Spielberger shot Ahbe twice in the head, killing him. Attempting suicide afterward, Spielberger was interrupted by the crew, who charged in seeking revenge for Ahbe's murder. Spielberger managed to kill three before being shot himself.
