The Interrogator: The Story of Hans Joachim Scharff, Master Interrogator of the Luftwaffe
Description at amazon.com ---
This is the story of Hanns Scharff the master interrogator of the Luftwaffe who questioned captured American fighter pilots of the USAAF Eighth and Ninth Air Forces in World War II.This Intelligence Officer gained the reputation as the man who could magically get all the answers he needed from the prisoners of war. In most cases the POWs being interrogated never realized that their words, small talk or otherwise, were important pieces of the mosaic Hanns Scharff was constructing for the benefit of Germany's war effort.
In the words of one erstwhile POW; "What did Scharff get from me? Nothing, yet there is no doubt he got something. If you talked about the weather or anything else he no doubt got some information or confirmation from it. His technique was psychic, not physical." Another POW commented, "Hanns Scharff could probably get a confession of infidelity from a Nun!"
They are right. To this day ex-POWs fret and worry over what they said or even might have implied during their interrogations, and over what use Scharff may have made of their slip-ups.
This book delves into the question: What was this magic spell or formula used by Scharff which made prisoners drop their guard and converse with him even though they are conditioned to remain silent?
The tortures and savagery of the North Koreans and North Vietnamese caused prisoners to resist to the death.
Hanns Scharff's methods broke down barriers so effectively that the USAF invited him to speak about his methods to military audiences in the United States after World War II.
Raymond Toliver is also the author (with Trevor Constable) of Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe (available from Schiffer Publishing Ltd.)., over 150 b/w photographs, 6" x 9"
One of the reviewers' comments at amazon.com ---
Having researched the history of the post that was formerly Dulag Luft as it is known --- "Auswerstelle West" as it should have been referred to after 1941 --- I found this book to be extremely helpful.As children, we always think of torture when it came to interrogations --- the common TV perception.
It was refreshing to find that the techniques used were not that much different than those employed by today's law enforcement --- no, not the TV cops with the physical abuse.
I grew up on the post, later a US Army post, and the rumors were rampant.
I also find it refreshing to see that the author, Raymond Toliver, a true historian, who has a passion for the subject, addressed the issues of how prisoners were treated by the Allies after the war.
This book is a must read for anyone who is serious about researching how allied pilots were treated.
It would also serve those who are serving today to see the trickery-craft used by the interrogors.
It was also amazing to learn the types of intelligence collected and how it was collated.