 Scharff described various experiences with new POWs (prisoners of war), outlining the procedure most of his fellow interrogators were instructed to use.Initially, the POWs fear and sense of disorientation, combined with isolation while not in interrogation, were exploited to gain as much initial biographical information as possible.A prisoner was frequently warned that, unless he could produce information beyond name, rank, and serial number, such as the name of his unit and airbase, the Luftwaffe would have no choice but to assume he was a spy and turn him over to the Gestapo for questioning.