The Gas Vans: A Critical Investigation - Holocaust Handbooks

SANTIAGO ALVAREZ, THE GAS VANS 91
by a secretary), consistently uses a double s instead of an “ß” for the
word “daß” (“that” as conjunction) but otherwise uses the “ß” correctly.
It also uses a proper rune-SS, which proves that such a machine was at
Turner’s disposal at that time.
2.2.7.4. Assessment
Orthodox historians consider this document as a vital link to “reveal”
that the term “delousing” was in fact used as a “code word” for
homicidal gassings. 57 It is based on the following sentence:
“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.”
By “Jews” obviously only Jewish males are meant. In the fall of
1941 there has been quite some back and forth between various Germans
officials regarding the fate of the Jewish prisoners held in the
Semlin camp. Whereas it was decided to shoot the males as hostages in
the escalating partisan warfare, German foreign minister Ribbentrop determined
in a telegram on 2 October 1941 with respect to women, children,
and the elderly: 58
“As soon as the technical means exist for the complete solution of
the Jewish question, the Jews will be deported on the waterway [i.e.,
the Danube] to the reception camps in the east.”
Orthodox historians see this as a mere ruse, though:
“[…] the Nazis employed elaborate deception: not only were the
victims told that they were being transferred to a different and better
transit camp, but they were given fictitious ‘camp regulations’ which
they supposedly needed to get acquainted with prior to arrival at
their destination.” (Byford 2010, p. 19; based on Browning 1985, p.
80; cf. also Browning 1983, pp. 75f.)
However, so far no document is known which would have changed
this decision to deport the Jews. Unless such a document is found, we
must therefore assume that “clearance” of the camp was not equivalent
with mass murder but rather with deportation. After the Wannsee Con-
57 See www.holocaust-history.org/19420411-turner-wolff/.
58 NG-3354, reproduced in Kempner 1961, p. 293.