The Gas Vans: A Critical Investigation - Holocaust Handbooks

SANTIAGO ALVAREZ, THE GAS VANS 315
side, close to the door. After opening the door the cable is to be attached
to the winch drum using the ring. The separation between cable and
winch is necessary because an otherwise needed feedthrough of the cable
would jeopardize the tightness of the coachwork. The first grate
[section] (rear wall of the driver’s cabin) is to be equipped with an angled,
strong gridwork of 3 to 400 mm height. In order to prevent that
the entire grate falls down when winching it out, a catch is to be mounted
on this section (pivot or similar). The individual grate sections are to
be attached to one another in a hinge-like manner. Nevertheless, the
sections need to be easily detachable.
The wheel guide rails and the lateral guide rails are to be
mounted in such a way that they slant downward from the wheel cases
toward the vehicle’s end. The lateral U-shaped iron rails are to be left
open at the top at their end for half a grate section width, in order to enable
the grate section moving out beyond the end of the vehicle to tip
down.
The order to manufacture the extractable grates for the 10 delivered
Saurer chassis is given herewith already.
An offer including a construction drawing is to be submitted
subsequently.
2.) II D 6:
for co-signature
3.) Copy of 1.) to case 1737/41 at TOS Schmidt.
4.) Resubmission 10 June [19]42
p.p. II D6 II D
[signed Rauff]
REMARKS: This order following the internal memo of 27 April 1942
gives an almost identical, although somewhat less detailed description
of the device as in the previous document (see drawing on p. 311).
Here, too, the author stresses that, since the cargo box must not have
any leakages, it has to be possible to detach the cable from the winch.