The Gas Vans: A Critical Investigation - Holocaust Handbooks

SANTIAGO ALVAREZ, THE GAS VANS 45
– 12th sentence: My opinion is that even camouflaged it cannot be kept
secret in the long run.
3rd paragraph:
– 13th sentence: The Saurer vehicle which I transferred from Simferopol
to Taganrog had a brake defect en route.
– 14th sentence: At the S.K. [34] in Mariupol it was determined that the
brake sleeve [“Manchete”] of the combined hydraulic-pneumatic
brakes was broken in several places.
– 15th sentence: Through persuasion and bribery at the H.K.P. 35 I managed
to have a mould turned, after which two brake sleeves have been
cast.
– 16th sentence: When I got to Stalino and Gorlovka several days later,
the drivers of the vehicles complained about the same defect.
– 17th sentence: After consulting with the commanding officers of these
commandos, I proceeded once more to Mariupol in order to have further
brake sleeves manufactured for these vehicles.
– 18th sentence: It has been agreed that two brake sleeves will be cast
for each of these vans; six will remain in Mariupol as back-up for the
Group, and six brake sleeves will be sent to SS-Untersturmführer
E R N S T to Kiev for the vehicles of Group C.
– 19th sentence: For the Groups B and A, the brake sleeves could be
obtained through Berlin, as the transportation from Mariupol to the
north is too inconvenient and would take too long.
– 20th sentence: Smaller defects of the vehicles will be carried out by
technicians of the commandos or groups in a workshop.
4th paragraph:
– 21st sentence: Due to the uneven terrain and the hardly describable
way and road conditions, the sealings and rivets become loose over
time.
– 22nd sentence: I was asked whether in such cases the vehicle ought to
be transferred to Berlin for repairs.
– 23rd sentence: A transfer to Berlin would be too expensive and would
require too much fuel.
– 24th sentence: To save such an expense, I gave the order that they
themselves solder small leaky spots, and if this could not be done any
34 Sonderkommando = special command.
35 Heeres-Kraftfahrzeug-Park = Army Motor Pool.