page_title: Sonderbehandlung
section_title: Equipment
hierarchical_section_title: Sonderbehandlung / Equipment
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: NS-Tötungsanstalt Hartheim, Abholungsbus mit Fahrer, Foto Niedernhart Prozess. "Deutsche Reichspost. 40 km(/h). (Mercedes-Stern) Diesel. RP-100 855." dunkel matt lackiert, Linkslenker, Startkurbel-Loch, Dachgalerie für Gepäck, Winker und Blinker. Fensterscheiben Passagierraum und Zielanzeige dunkel lackiert, Original-Scheinwerfer abgedeckt, Luftschutzscheinwerfer, weisse Lackierung Stoßstange, Kotblechkontur, Eck-Visierantennen, ohne Aussenspiegel; am Dach: Basis für Anhänger-Dreieck; Hufeisen als Glückssymbol English: Hartheim Nazi killing center, bus with driver
context_page_description: Sonderbehandlung is any sort of preferential treatment, but is known primarily as a euphemism for mass murder used by Nazi functionaries and the SS, who commonly used the abbreviation S.B. in documentation. It first came to prominence during Action T4, where SS doctors killed mentally ill and disabled patients between 1939 and 1941, and was one of a number of nonspecific words the Nazis used to document mass murder and genocide. Another notable example was Sonderbehandlung 14f13.
  This term was also used to imprecisely refer to the equipment used to perpetrate their crimes, such as gas chambers and Zyklon B. The true meaning of Sonderbehandlung was widely known in the SS, and in April 1943, Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler was so concerned about the security of it that he had it redacted in a secret report.
context_section_description: In German, "Sonder-", meaning "special", can be used to form compound nouns. As well as in reference to actions, the Nazis used euphemisms to refer to the actual equipment used to carry out killing. In his letter, Trühe refers to the vans as "S-wagen" (S-vans); "Sonderwagen" (special vans) in full. Other documented references include "Sonderfahrzeug" (special vehicle), "Spezialwagen" (special van), and "Hilfsmittel" (auxiliary equipment).
  Several instances of this unspecific language in reference to equipment can be found in documents concerning Auschwitz concentration camp. A letter dated August 21, 1942 referred to Bunker 1 and Bunker 2 (farmhouses west of Birkenau converted into gas chambers) as "Badeanstalten für Sonderaktionen" (bathing installations for special actions). In the letter, this is given in quotes, further suggesting the euphemistic nature of what is meant. On blueprints, the basement gas chambers of Crematoria II and III were simply marked as "Leichenkeller 1" (basement morgue 1), and the basement undressing rooms were marked as "Leichenkeller 2". However, a letter dated November 27, 1942 to chief Auschwitz architect SS-Sturmbannführer Karl Bischoff referred to morgue 1 of Crematorium II as the "Sonderkeller" (special cellar). A letter from SS-Sturmbannführer Rudolf Jährling concerning Crematoria II and III to oven builders J.A. Topf and Sons dated March 6, 1943, refers to morgue 2 as an "Auskleideraum" (undressing room). The units of prisoners forced to empty gas chambers and load bodies into ovens were known as the Sonderkommando (special squads). A document dated August 26, 1942 granted the camp authorities to send a truck "... to Dessau to pick up material for special treatment..." - Dessau was one of two places where Zyklon B was manufactured. Standard usage of the term for killing at Auschwitz applied. A letter dated October 13, 1942, signed by Bischoff, states that construction of new crematoria facilities "... was necessary to start immediately in July 1942 because of the situation caused by the special actions." On September 8, 1943, 5,006 Jews were transferred from Theresienstadt to Auschwitz under the designation "SB six months." Six months later on March 9, 1944, those still alive were gassed.
  In his diary, SS-Obersturmführer and doctor Johann Kremer describes seeing a mass gassing for the first time:
  September 2, 1942: For the first time, at 3:00 A.M. outside, attended a special action. Dante's Inferno seems to me almost a comedy compared to this. They don't call Auschwitz the camp of annihilation for nothing!
  Three days later, Kremer described the mass gassing of emaciated prisoners, nicknamed Musselmanner:
  September 5, 1942: In the morning attended a special action from the women's concentration camp (Muslims); the most dreadful of horrors. Master-Sergeant Thilo (troop doctor) was right when he said to me that this is the anus mundi. In the evening towards 8:00 attended another special action from Holland [sic]. Because of the special rations they get a fifth of a liter of schnapps, 5 cigarettes, 100 g salami and bread, the men all clamor to take part in such actions. Today and tomorrow (Sunday) work.
  In a letter dated January 29, 1943 by SS-Sturmbannführer Bischoff to SS-Oberführer Hans Kammler, Bischoff refers to basement morgue 1 of Crematorium II at Auschwitz as a "Vergasungskeller", literally "gassing cellar".  In the letter, the word is underlined, and at the top of the document is written: "SS-Untersturmführer Kirschnek!" There was a very clear policy in the architecture office that words such as "gas chamber" should not be used; Second Lieutenant Kirschnek should be informed of this slip. Citing this unique letter, Robert Jan van Pelt states that in using "special action" or "special treatment" in place of extermination and killing, the first Holocaust deniers were the Nazis themselves, in that they attempted to deny to themselves what they were doing.
caption: Hartheim bus for asphyxiation of prisoners
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