Page "Heinrich Himmler" Paragraph 44

Initially the victims were killed with gas vans or by firing squad, but these methods proved impracticable for an operation of this scale.

In August 1941, Himmler attended the shooting of 100 Jews at Minsk.

Just after the event, he vomited.

After regaining his composure, Himmler decided that alternate methods of killing should be found.

He told Heydrich that he was concerned for the mental health of the SS men.

On his orders, by spring 1942 the camp at Auschwitz had been greatly expanded, including the addition of gas chambers, where victims were killed using the pesticide Zyklon B.

By the end of the war, at least 5. 5 million Jews had been killed by the Nazi regime ; most estimates range closer to six million.

Himmler visited the camp at Sobibor in early 1943, by which time 250, 000 people had been killed at that location alone.

After witnessing a gassing, he gave 28 people promotions, and ordered the operation of the camp to be wound down.

In a revolt that October, prisoners killed most of the guards and SS personnel, and 300 prisoners escaped.

Two hundred managed to get away ; some joined partisan units operating in the area.

The remainder were killed.

The camp was dismantled by December 1943.