Holocaust Gas Vans
by Michael Kernan
The Einsatzgruppen looked for more efficient ways of extermination besides shooting. The idea was proposed by Artur Nebe, a commander of the Einsatzgruppen. They took their poison gas and came up with constructing a completely sealed van where the pipes would run in to the back when the engine was turned on. There were two types of vans constructed, one was bigger, holding about 130 to 150 people packed in at a time, the other holding 80 to 100. Gas vans started being used in 1941, by 1942 the Nazis had 30 vans.
A Gas Van
This is one of the gas vans used during the Holocaust, this photo provides a basic idea of what it looked like.
Prisoners Amongst a Gas Van
This symbolizes what life was like for some prisoners. In the photo, a group of prisoners are sitting there hopelessly knowing that they might be the next ones put in the van.
The Nazi Gas Chambers