The Gas Vans: A Critical Investigation - Holocaust Handbooks

342 SANTIAGO ALVAREZ, THE GAS VANS
The best proof for this is, on the one hand, a remark woven into an
official letter by Military Area Southeast “the appointment of the Higher
SS and Police Leader, which did not occur due to the proposal here”
or some wording like that, and on the other hand the remark of the
Chief of General Staff of Military Area Southeast after receipt of the
decision in my favor “herewith the Wehrmacht would have lost a battle.”
In any event, pure joy prevails here about this victory in all circles
even of the Wehrmacht who have somehow followed this struggle, and
you alone have brought this joy to these people, as I believe. My thanks
for that.
May I use this occasion to send you enclosed the duplicate of a letter
by me to the Reichsführer of 15 January 1942 to which I have remained
without an answer to this day. I don’t want to remind, because such
things take time as I know and I don’t feel entitled to remind the
Reichsführer about the settlement of an issue. I know after all that you
have an interest for such matters and why I now draw your attention to
it has its reason simply in the fact that this question is soon becoming
more than critical. Already some months ago, I shot dead all the Jews I
could get my hands on in this country, concentrated all the Jewish
women and children in a camp and at once with the help of the SD acquired
a “delousing van,” which will have accomplished the definitive
clearance of the camp in about 14 days to 4 weeks, which, however,
was continued by Meyssner since his arrival and the turning over of
these camp issues to him. Then the moment has come in which the Jewish
officers located in the prisoner of war camp under the Geneva Convention
get behind the no longer existing relatives – willingly or not –
and that could after all easily lead to complications.
When those affected are being released, they would in the moment
of arrival have their final freedom, but like their racial comrades not for
very long and with that this entire question should be resolved once and
for all. The onliest concern could be repercussions on our prisoners in
Canada, if it comes to light that the freed persons do not run around
freely here... I personally do not share these concerns.
With the best wishes for your personal well being, best greetings and
Hail Hitler!
I am as always
your loyal
(signed Turner)