The Gas Vans: A Critical Investigation - Holocaust Handbooks

120 SANTIAGO ALVAREZ, THE GAS VANS
No such document was ever presented by the Soviets. Hence it can
be assumed that this story was made up as well.
“President: Describe what the ‘gas van’ is like.
[Wilhelm] Langheld: As far as I remember the ‘gas van’ is a vehicle
dark grey in colour, completely covered in, having hermetically
sealed doors at the back.
President: How many persons can a van hold?
Langheld: Approximately 60 to 70 persons.
President: Under what circumstances did you see the van in
Kharkov?
Langheld: I was at 76, Cherniskevsky Street at the H.Q. of the
S.D. and heard a terrific noise and screaming outside.
President: What happened then?
Langheld: A gas van at that moment had driven up to the main
entrance of the building, and one could see how people were being
forcibly driven into it, while German soldiers were standing at the
doors of the van.” (p. 65)
Defendant Hans Ritz stated:
“It was an ordinary closed army transport lorry, only with an
airtight body. Lt. Jacobi opened the doors of the machine and let me
look in. Inside the machine was lined with sheet iron, in the floor
was a grating through which entered the exhaust gases of the motor
which poisoned the people inside the van. […] I should add that they
numbered about 60 persons.” (pp. 69f.)
[Reinhard] “Retzlaff: In March, 1942, when I entered the courtyard
of Kharkov Jail, I saw there a large van painted dark grey.” (p.
77)
“Prosecutor: How many Soviet citizens in all were exterminated
by means of the gas van?
Retzlaff: As S.D. man Kaminsky told me, more than 5,000 people
were destroyed in March. Taking into consideration this figure as
well as the fact that the gas van made its deadly rounds every day, it
can be considered that the total number of persons put to death in
Kharkov is approximately 30,000.” (pp. 78f.)
Hence the Soviets had figured out that the 7,000 victims claimed
during the Krasnodar trial wasn’t impressive at all, if compared to all
the other numbers being touted during that time. The numbers were
therefore jacked up considerably.