NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Hanns Scharff

Hanns-Joachim Gottlob Scharff (December 16, 1907 – September 10, 1992) was a German Luftwaffe interrogator during the Second World War. He has been called the "Master Interrogator" of the Luftwaffe and possibly all of Nazi Germany; he has also been praised for his contribution in shaping U.S. interrogation techniques after the war. Merely an Obergefreiter (the equivalent of a senior lance corporal), he was charged with interrogating every German-captured American fighter pilot during the war after his becoming an interrogation officer in 1943. He is highly praised for the success of his techniques, especially considering he never used physical means to obtain the required information. No evidence exists he even raised his voice in the presence of a prisoner of war (POW). Scharff’s interrogation techniques were so effective that he was often called upon to assist other German interrogators in their questioning of bomber pilots and aircrews, including those crews and fighter pilots from countries other than the United States. Additionally, Scharff was charged with questioning V.I.P.s (Very Important Prisoners) that funneled through the interrogation center, namely senior officers and world-famous fighter aces. December 16 is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1907 (MCMVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... September 10 is the 253rd day of the Gregorian calendar (254th in leap years). ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... Church in KÄ™trzyn KÄ™trzyn (Polish ; German: ) is a town in northeastern Poland with 28,351 inhabitants (2004). ... East Prussia (German: Ostpreu en; Polish: Prusy Wschodnie; Russian: Восточная Пруссия — Vostochnaya Prussiya) was a province of Kingdom of Prussia, situated on the territory of former Ducal Prussia. ... Bear Valley Springs is a census-designated place located in Kern County, California. ... Tehachapi may refer to: Tehachapi, California Tehachapi Mountains Tehachapi Loop Tehachapi Pass A film starring Christina Applegate Category: ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area Ranked 3rd - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 kmÂ²) - Width 250 miles (400 km) - Length 770 miles (1,240 km) - % water 4. ... The history of Germany is, in places, extremely complicated and depends much on how one defines Germany. ... Bundeswehr Obergreiter insignia Obergefreiter is rank of the German military which dates from the 19th century. ... Oberursel (Taunus) is a town in Germany. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Mosaic is the art of decoration with small pieces of colored glass, stone or other material. ... December 16 is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1907 (MCMVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... September 10 is the 253rd day of the Gregorian calendar (254th in leap years). ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... This or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Interrogation is the professional police and military technique of interviewing people, often without their consent, in order to obtain information regarding crimes or military operations. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ... Bundeswehr Obergreiter insignia Obergefreiter is rank of the German military which dates from the 19th century. ... Lance Corporal (LCpl or L/Cpl) is a military rank used by some elements of the British, Commonwealth, and U.S. armed forces. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with aerial warfare. ... Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ... The B-17 Flying Fortress is one of the most recognizable and famous bombers of World War II. A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground targets, primarily by dropping bombs. ... A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft. ...

After the end of WWII, Scharff was invited by the United States Air Force to give lectures on his interrogation techniques and first-hand experiences. The U.S. military later incorporated Scharff’s methods into its curriculum at its interrogation schools. After the Abu Ghraib prison scandal was revealed in the early 2000s, Scharff’s name was again brought to the forefront as investigators questioned why his methods, which continue to be taught in military intelligence and interrogation schools, had been ignored in favor of more physically abusive tactics by U.S. military personnel and U.S. defense contractors alike to obtain desired information from Iraqi detainees. The United States Air Force (USAF) is the aerial warfare branch of the United States armed forces and one of the seven uniformed services. ... It has been suggested that Nature of Abu Ghraib abuse be merged into this article or section. ...

After the war, Scharff immigrated to the United States from South Africa. From the 1950s until his death in 1992, Scharff redirected his efforts to artistry, namely mosaics. He eventually became a world-renowned mosaic artisan, with his handiwork on display in such locations as the California State Capitol building, Los Angeles City Hall, several schools, colleges, and universities, Epcot Center, and in the 15-foot arched mosaic walls featuring the story of Cinderella inside Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World, Florida. This article is about a decorative art. ... California State Capitol Capitol Building from N Street The California State Capitol building in Sacramento, California houses the California State Legislature and the office of the Governor of California. ... Los Angeles City Hall is the center of government in the city of Los Angeles, California. ... Spaceship Earth, as seen from outside the vistors entrance. ... Gustave DorÃ©s illustration for Cendrillon Cinderella is a popular fairy tale embodying a classic folk tale myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Cinderella Castle, at the center of the Magic Kingdom, is Walt Disney World Resorts most recognizable icon Introduction Owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company, the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, USA is home to four theme parks, two water parks, several resort hotels and golf courses... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Largest metro area Miami Area Ranked 22nd - Total 65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] kmÂ²) - Width 361 miles (582 km) - Length 447 miles (721 km) - % water 17. ...

Biography

Early life

Scharff was born on December 16, 1907 in Rastenburg, East Prussia (now Kętrzyn, Poland) to Hans Hermann Scharf and Else Scharf (née Jahn) and was the second of three sons, the elder being Eberhardt and the younger, Wolfgang, who died in his teens. Hanns Scharff spelled his surname differently than the surname he was born with, adding an extra ‘f’ on the end of it in his adulthood, presumably a reflection of earlier Scharffs in his family tree who spelled the name using the double-f. December 16 is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1907 (MCMVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Church in KÄ™trzyn KÄ™trzyn (Polish ; German: ) is a town in northeastern Poland with 28,351 inhabitants (2004). ... East Prussia (German: Ostpreu en; Polish: Prusy Wschodnie; Russian: Восточная Пруссия — Vostochnaya Prussiya) was a province of Kingdom of Prussia, situated on the territory of former Ducal Prussia. ... Church in KÄ™trzyn KÄ™trzyn (Polish ; German: ) is a town in northeastern Poland with 28,351 inhabitants (2004). ...

Scharff’s father, a Prussian Army officer before and during the First World War, died in 1917 in Wiesbaden from wounds received during WWI on the Western Front in France in July of 1916. He was the recipient of the Iron Cross (I and II Class), the Reuss Cross, and the Hanseatic Cross, "all for bravery in combat," ^[1] something for which his son was immensely proud. ^[2] A standard of the Prussian Army. ... Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... Wiesbaden is a city in central Germany. ... Western Front was a term used during the First and Second World Wars to describe the contested armed frontier between lands controlled by Germany to the East and the Allies to the West. ... A stylized version of the Iron Cross, the emblem of the Bundeswehr, Germanys Armed Forces. ...

Scharff’s mother was the daughter of one of the founders of one of the largest textile mills in Germany. Her father, Christian G. Jahn, lived at the spacious Villa Jahn in Greiz, Germany, just south of Leipzig, and adjacent to the large textile factory compound. After Hans Scharf’s first stint in the army prior to WWI, he joined Christian Jahn as a partner in the textile business, moving his family into the Villa Jahn to live with his father-in-law. His son, Hanns Scharff, was raised in the Villa Jahn until adulthood and schooled in Leipzig. It was during his schooling there that he was first trained in various forms of art ^[3], which would eventually serve as a basis for his new profession after WWII. â€œfabricâ€ redirects here. ... Greiz is a town in Thuringia, the capital of the district Greiz. ... Leipzig ( ; Sorbian/Lusatian: Lipsk from the Sorbian word for Tilia) is, with a population of over 506,000, the largest city in the federal state of Saxony, Germany. ... Father-in-law A father-in-law is a spouses father. ... Leipzig ( ; Sorbian/Lusatian: Lipsk from the Sorbian word for Tilia) is, with a population of over 506,000, the largest city in the federal state of Saxony, Germany. ...

Pre-war career

Scharff's older brother, Eberhardt, was expected to take over the textile business from his grandfather, Jahn. Hanns Scharff himself was also encouraged to learn the family business and trained for three years in textiles and weaving while still a teenager. Next, he was trained in merchandizing and marketing, and finally exporting. Scharff then traveled to work in the Adlerwerke Foreign Office in Johannesburg, South Africa to gain experience in sales (specifically of the Adler automobiles produced in Frankfurt, Germany) for one year. However, he was so successful at his job that instead of returning to Germany he was promoted to Director of the Overseas Division and continued to make Johannesburg his home for the next 10 years leading up to the outbreak of World War II. Tweed loom, Harris, 2004 Woven sheet Weaving is an ancient textile art and craft that involves placing two sets of threads or yarn made of fiber called the warp and weft of the loom and turning them into cloth. ... One definition of Merchandising is a marketing practice in which the brand or image from one product or service is used to sell another. ... Wikibooks has more about this subject: Marketing Look up marketing in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... City motto: Unity in Development Province Gauteng Mayor Amos Masondo Area - % water 1,644 kmÂ² 0. ... Hood ornament Adler Standard 6 The Adler was a German automobile and motorcycle manufacturer produced from 1900 to 1957. ...

While in South Africa, Scharff met and married a South African Britisher, Margaret Stokes. Margaret was the daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Claude Stokes, first a pilot in Rhodesia in 1913, and later a squadron leader in the Royal Flying Corps. Claude Stokes was shot down during aerial combat in 1917 by Germany's famous Baron Manfred von Richthofen, more commonly known as the "Red Knight" or the "Red Baron." Stokes was the Red Baron's 58th victory.^[4] Scharff said of his father-in-law's encounter with Germany's "Ace of Aces": Southern Rhodesia, todays Zimbabwe. ... The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of World War I. Origin and Early History Formed by Royal Warrant on May 13, 1912, the RFC superseded the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers. ... Baron is a specific title of nobility or a more generic feudal qualification. ... â€œRed Baronâ€ redirects here. ...

In an ironic twist, it was nearly on this same day that Scharff's own father died from his wounds during the war. ^[6] Irony is a literary or rhetorical device, in which there is a gap or incongruity between what a speaker or a writer says and what is generally understood (either at the time, or in the later context of history). ...

World War II

Pre-Auswertestelle West military career

Scharff was visiting Greiz, Germany during the summer of 1939 when World War II broke out. His visa was summarily revoked and he was more or less stranded in Germany. After finding work in Berlin and while living again at the Villa Jahn with his wife and then, three children, he was drafted into the German Wehrmacht as a Panzer Grenadier; he subsequently trained for two months in Potsdam. Scharff was originally intended to be deployed to the Russian Front. However, when Margaret Scharff learned of her husband's destination, she, angry at the thought of a fluent English-speaking German soldier's life being wasted at the Eastern Front, intervened. She talked her way into the office of a German general in Berlin and plead her husband's case, convincing the general of the error which was about to take place. The general sent a telegram to Scharff's Panzer unit, informing his superiors that Scharff was to be transferred immediately to the Dolmetscher Kompanie XII (Interpreters Company 12), based in Wiesbaden, to serve as a German/English interpreter. Scharff had been slated to leave for the Russian Front the morning the telegram arrived to reassign him. The remaining of his fellow grenadiers were sent on to Russia. ^[7] Entry visa valid in Schengen treaty countries. ... Location of Berlin within Germany / EU Coordinates Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) Administration Country NUTS Region DE3 City subdivisions 12 boroughs Governing Mayor Klaus Wowereit (SPD) Governing parties SPD / Left. ... Wehrmacht (armed forces, literally defence force(s)) was the name of the armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. ... Panzer IV Ausf. ... A Grenadier was originally a specialized assault trooper for siege operations, first established as a distinct role in the early 17th century. ... Potsdam is the capital city of the federal state of Brandenburg in Germany. ... Eastern Front usually refers to either Eastern Front (WWI) Eastern Front (WWII) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Optical Telegraf of Claude Chappe on the Litermont near Nalbach, Germany Telegraphy (from the Greek words tele (Ï„Î·Î»Îµ) = far and graphein (Î³ÏÎ±Ï†ÎµÎ¹Î½) = write) is the long-distance transmission of written messages without physical transport of letters, originally by changing something that could be observed from a distance (optical telegraphy). ... Interpreter can mean one of the following: In communication, an interpreter is a person whose role is to facilitate dialogue between two parties that do not use the same language. ...

After traveling by train to Wiesbaden, Scharff asked at the train station where Dolmetscher Kompanie XII was based, not having been given any indication of its location before leaving his Panzer unit. Unfamiliar with Kompanie XII's existence, the Military Police at the train station directed Scharff to report to another Panzer grenadier battalion, again destined for the Eastern Front. Frustrated and concerned over his new battalion's unwillingness to transfer him to his correct unit, Scharff recalled a letter that his father had written to each of his boys shortly before he died. In the letter to Scharff, his father told him that should he ever need help or guidance to contact one or both of his dearest friends in his regiment, Major Ledebur and Major Postel. Scharff contacted the then-Lieutenant Colonel Postel about his situation, who agreed to take it up with the Commanding General, whom he knew personally. The next morning the Commanding General telephoned the Panzer unit and ordered them to release Scharff to his proper unit in Mainz. It has been suggested that Gendarmerie be merged into this article or section. ... Mainz is a city in Germany and the capital of the German federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. ...

After arriving at Kompanie XII in Mainz, Scharff trained in British nuances and military organization. During the spring of 1943, Scharff was promoted to Hauptgefreiter (Lance Corporal) and transferred to Headquarters in Wiesbaden. Unsatisfied with his job of "manufactur[ing] little round holes" as a clerk at Headquarters^[8], he joked to the adjutant that he had figured out that the cost of each hole he punched was five cents. The adjutant informed the general of Scharff's calculations, and the general summoned Scharff and told him that he did not like low-ranking personnel "figuring out costs what were none of their business." ^[9] However, after hearing Scharff's story, the general agreed to send Scharff--only one of three allowed per year--to the Luftwaffe interrogation center at Oberursel, Germany, to serve as an interpreter assisting the interrogators. ^[10] Modern German Gefreiter insignia Gefreiter today is the German equivalent for Private. ... An adjutant (from the Latin adiutans, present participle of the verb adiutare, to help; the Romans actually used adiutor for the noun) is an officer who assists a more senior officer. ... A two-cent euro coin A United States penny, or 1Â¢ In currency, the cent is a monetary unit that equals 1/100 of the basic unit of value. ... Oberursel (Taunus) is a town in Germany. ...

Auswertestelle West Interrogation Officer

The Luftwaffe interrogation center at Oberursel, just north of Frankfurt, was officially known as Auswertestelle West (Intelligence and Evaluation Center West). It served as the initial in-processing and interrogation center for all captured Allied Air Force personnel, except for Soviet aircrews, who were interrogated at a separate location.^[11] Upon arrival at Auswertestelle West, Scharff began in the Camp Office--Reception (COR) and was eventually moved up by the Chief of the Fighter Interrogation Section, Captain Horst H. "Big Chief" Barth, to assistant interrogation officers of the American Fighters section responsible for the 8th and 9th Air Forces.^[12] It was during his training as an assistant interrogation officer that Scharff claims he learned his interrogation techniques through observation; he was never formally trained as an interrogation officer.^[13] For other uses, see Frankfurt (disambiguation). ... The Allies of World War II were the countries officially opposed to the Axis powers during the Second World War. ... Soviet redirects here. ... The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force (NAF) of the major command (MAJCOM) of Air Combat Command of the United States Air Force and it is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. ... Ninth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force in Air Combat Command (ACC). ...

Scharff assisted two USAAF Fighter interrogators named Weyland and Schröder. While Scharff was on leave in late 1943, Weyland and Schröder went up in a Fieseler Storch aircraft with a Luftwaffe fighter pilot from the Kampfgeschwader 27 unit at Eschborn Airbase. The aircraft's engine malfunctioned, forcing the plane to crash, killing the pilot and Schröder, and mortally wounding Weyland. The accident prompted Barth to promote Scharff to interrogation officer over the USAAF Fighter Section; Scharff was also officially transferred from the Army to the Luftwaffe at that time, but was not promoted in rank.^[14] He was later provided with an assistant interrogator, Otto "Canadian Wild Bill" Engelhardt.^[15] The Fieseler Fi 156 Storch (stork) was a small liaison aircraft built by Fieseler before and during World War II, and production continued in other countries into the 1950s for the private market. ...

References

Categories: 1907 births | 1992 deaths | German artists | German businesspeople | German immigrants to the United States | German natives of East Prussia | German people of World War II | Luftwaffe personnel | World War II prisoners of war March 10 is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 147th day of the year (148th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... September 9 is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...