Damaged Magirus “Black Raven” death van supposedly used in the Chelmno extermination camp near Lodz
One method that the Nazis used to exterminate the Jews and the other prisoners during the Holocaust was gas vans. Gas vans were used before gas chambers and were the next thing after the mass shootings. A gas van was a mobile gas chamber surmounted on the chassis of a cargo truck which employed carbon monoxide from the truck's exhaust to kill its victims (Holocaust Encyclopedia). First Jews were forced into the back of the truck, and then the exhaust gas from the engine was led into the box in the back which suffocated the Jews (Methods Of Mass Murder). The method was first used in the Soviet Union by the four Einsatzgruppen, in an effort to make their killing operations more effective (than by using the mass shootings). Also, gassing trucks were introduced in an effort to avoid having the killers became emotionally hit by the murders (Methods Of Mass Murder). They also used gas vans because it was proven to be a lot less costly and a lot faster to killing the Jews, compared to the mass shootings (Holocaust Encyclopedia).
Prior to gassing, the victims were ordered to hand over all of their valuables. They then had to undress themselves and finally enter the gas vans. The two doors at the back of the truck were then closed. The tube then locked to the exhaust which lead carbon monoxide into the box where the victims were. To calm down the naked victims a lamp was switched on for some minutes. The driver then started the motor, which ran in neutral gear for about ten minutes. During this time the motor produced enough carbon monoxide to suffocate the victims. They were so crowded together there was lack of air to begin with. When the screaming and pounding had stopped, the driver started the drive to the cremation site. There, Jewish men who would not be permitted to remain alive, were forced to unload the corpses and cremate them. About 500,000 - 600,000 people had been killed by gas vans (Nazi Gas Vans). Gas vans proved to be just the beginning to the gassing of the victims during the Holocaust. After gas vans the killing of Jews and other victims become more horrendous and the number became a lot larger for the next big thing, gas chambers.
Prior to gassing, the victims were ordered to hand over all of their valuables. They then had to undress themselves and finally enter the gas vans. The two doors at the back of the truck were then closed. The tube then locked to the exhaust which lead carbon monoxide into the box where the victims were. To calm down the naked victims a lamp was switched on for some minutes. The driver then started the motor, which ran in neutral gear for about ten minutes. During this time the motor produced enough carbon monoxide to suffocate the victims. They were so crowded together there was lack of air to begin with. When the screaming and pounding had stopped, the driver started the drive to the cremation site. There, Jewish men who would not be permitted to remain alive, were forced to unload the corpses and cremate them. About 500,000 - 600,000 people had been killed by gas vans (Nazi Gas Vans). Gas vans proved to be just the beginning to the gassing of the victims during the Holocaust. After gas vans the killing of Jews and other victims become more horrendous and the number became a lot larger for the next big thing, gas chambers.
"The picture above is showing Jewish men at Chelmno await to be gassed by “Black Raven” gas van."