The Gas Vans: A Critical Investigation - Holocaust Handbooks

52 SANTIAGO ALVAREZ, THE GAS VANS
been done at the spot, so that it is incomprehensible why the vehicles
had to be sent to Berlin for such a repair work.
The perseverance with which the author insists on the issue of sealing
the gassing box is noteworthy when considering that gas vans used
for homicidal gassings could have worked only, if the sealed cargo box,
which sported a sealed door – the witness statements emphasize this
over and over again – had openings permitting the escape of the excess
exhaust gases (see chapter 1.3.2.), which is to say: they could not and
should not have been sealed!
– 25th sentence: By referring to “possibly escaping gases,” the author
once more confirms his underlying hypothesis that a proper operation
of a gas van required as sealed cargo box, as this phrase implies
that under normal conditions of the gassing operation no gases escape
near the vehicle. But as already described in chapter 1.3.2., an engine
whose exhaust pipe is connected to a sealed cargo box will bend and
eventually blow the box apart. Hence we have a physically or mechanically
impossible claim here.
Not to mention the fact that “possibly escaping gases” could not be
more dangerous for those operating the vehicle than the inevitable inhalation
of exhaust gases of city traffic or of the idling engine of a stationary
vehicle.
– 26th to 29th sentence: The author bemoans that the unloading of
the gassing victims, which does “tremendous mental and physical
harm” to those doing it, is sometimes performed by his men, and he
suggests that orders are given to have inmates do this work. But according
to mainstream historiography, the killing method “gas van” had
been invented precisely because of the following reason:
“However, the mass shooting of Jews, Gypsies and other Soviet
citizens affected the morale of the Einsatzgruppen (operational
groups) that carried out the executions behind the front-line troops.”
(Kogon et al. 1993, p. 52)
In the same anthology Walter Rauff is quoted as follows:
“At the time to most important consideration for me was the psychological
stress felt by the men involved in the shootings. This
problem was overcome by the use of gas vans.” (ibid., p. 53; see
chapter 3.5.2.)
I may point out that the last sentence from the above quote allegedly
stemming from Rauff is in blatant contradiction to the 27th sentence of
the letter at issue, which was addressed precisely to Rauff!