The Gas Vans: A Critical Investigation - Holocaust Handbooks

134 SANTIAGO ALVAREZ, THE GAS VANS
at some time after my return I saw two of these gas vans standing in
the yard, which Pradel showed to me. Somehow I then also learned
that the gas vans were used for the execution of sentences and for
the killing of Jews.
I consider it impossible that Pradel should have carried out the
development of the gas vans on his own initiative. He must have received
an order for this either from me or from another superior
standing above me.
Whether at that time I had doubts against the use of gas vans I
cannot say. The main issue for me at the time was that the shootings
were a considerable burden for the men who were in charge thereof
and that this burden was taken off them through the use of the gas
vans.
I don’t think that Dr. Siegert was involved in these matters at the
time, although he probably knew about them.
It is correct that I received something from Becker about the use
of gas vans. I myself had told Becker to send me a corresponding report.”
(p. 12)
Excuse me? The person centrally responsible cannot remember how
it came that these vans were used? And he only “somehow” – accidentally?
– “learned that the gas vans were used for […] the killing of
Jews”? And as the one in charge of “mobilizing” the Einsatzgruppen
and equipping them with vehicles, as the one who was allegedly involved
in defining and improving the “gas van’s” design, how come he
was shown such a heinous vehicle only once in passing?
Since General Pinochet steadfastly refused to extradite him, Rauff
had nothing to fear; hence he agreed voluntarily to testify in front of a
German prosecutor. I therefore think that Rauff’s statement is sincere
and to the best of his knowledge. But all it proves is that he cannot distinguish
anymore between what he knew then and what he learned later.
However, if he had indeed been in charge of deploying these vans following
extermination orders from higher up, then he most certainly
would have remembered, or so I am inclined to think.
Rauff died on 14 May 1984 in Chile without ever having been prosecuted
for his lack of knowledge about the crimes he is said to have
committed.