Development
German killing programs adapted vehicles so engine exhaust was routed into sealed compartments.
Chełmno
Gas vans were central to the killing process at Chełmno.
Eastern killing sites
Security Police units also used gas vans at selected sites around Minsk and elsewhere.
Why they were used
Perpetrator concerns centered on efficiency, secrecy and the psychological burden of shooting on killers—not moral opposition.
Evidence
German documents, trial testimony, survivor testimony and site evidence document their use.
Sources
This page draws on the institutional sources listed below.