The ‘Disappearance’ of SS-Hauptscharführer Lorenz Hackenholt A Report on the 1959-63 West German Police Search for Lorenz Hackenholt, the Gas Chamber Expert of the Aktion Reinhard Extermination Camps © Michael Tregenza (Page 13) Hackenholt had installed the engine, this was explained to us at a duty conference ... I know for certain that in the beginning Wirth and Hackenholt, and later Hackenholt alone, that is, with the help of Ukrainians, operated the gassing engine. [38] It was unanimously agreed by all nine former members of the Belzec SS-garrison that Hackenholt's main area of responsibility from then on had been at the gassing installation, an area closed to all members of the camp staff except for the select few who had business there, chosen by commandant Wirth. Wirth's SS-driver, Werner Dubois, has stated about Hackenholt's gassing team: Hackenholt, with the work force assigned to him, operated the gassing engine ... as assistants, Ukrainians and Jews were at his disposal. As I recall, there were one or two Ukrainians and one or two Jews. I take it that the actual work was carried out by the Ukrainians and Jews, and Hackenholt only carried out their supervision. [40] Former SS-NCO Karl Schluch, assigned by Wirth to gas chamber duty, elaborated on Hackenholt's duties in the extermination process at Belzec: After the Jews had entered the gas chambers the doors were shut tight by Hackenholt himself, or by one of the Ukrainians assigned to him. Then Hackenholt started the engine ... I cannot say for certain who looked through the peepholes ... it could have been Hackenholt. [41] It often happened that a number of Jews on the incoming transports were unable to proceed through the extermination procedure unaided, either through infirmity, old age or sickness. They were left lying on the ground next to the railway siding in the camp until everyone else had been gassed. SS-NCO Schluch has also described what happened to these victims: A Jewish work brigade carried them on stretchers to a special grave close to the eastern boundary of the camp. There they were laid face down either at the edge of the grave, or in the grave itself with their faces on the corpses already lying there. In these early days at Belzec they were shot in the back of the head by Hackenholt. [42] Another former Belzec SS-NCO, Karl Schluch, also testified that Hackenholt not only shot Jews who were already destined for death, but also shot Jews of the work brigades. [43] _______________ [38] ZStL 208 AR-Z 252/59 (Belzec Case), p. 1365. Statement by Hans Girtzig on 18.7.1961 in Berlin. [39] Ibid., p. 1427. Statement by Kurt Franz on 14.9.1961 in Dusseldorf. [40] Ibid., p. 1386. Statement by Werner Dubois on 16.9.1961 in Schwelm. [41] Ibid., p. 1512. Statement by Karl Schluch on 11.11.1961 in Kleve. [42] Ibid., p. 1515. [43] Ibid., p. 1511.    Back Page 13 Forward
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