General Discussion

The Nazi Campervans Nicknamed the “Soul Killers”

When the gas was released, victims screamed and knocked on the van’s walls, begging for their lives…

https://medium.com/lessons-from-history/gas-van-d009c601c444



It was the time of World War II and the Nazis began executing the horrific plan — the total extermination of Jews, gypsies, and the disabled. Millions of innocent people were murdered in gas chambers, especially in the Auschwitz concentration camp. However, before there were gas chambers, there were gas vans. Nazis killed around 700,000 people using gas vans.

Gas vans were used because Heinrich Himmler vomited

In August 1941, the head of SS Heinrich Himmler attended a mass shooting of Jews in Minsk, Belarus, after which he vomited. Himmler decided that a “less stressful” method of killing was necessary. The Nazis got the inspiration for gas vans when SS officer Arthur Nebe got drunk at the…

The Nazis used two types of trucks as gas vans: small versions with about 3,500 kilograms payload for about 50 persons (Diamond, Opel Blitz, and Renault) and bigger ones with 5,000 kilograms payload for up to 1000 victims (Saurer). The Nazis made the cargo hold of these vans airtight and added a hose which led the exhaust fumes with carbon monoxide into the hold.




Burned-out Magirus-Deutz furniture mover van near Chełmno extermination camp.