In the Second World War, Germany was never really able to sustain an extended conflict due to its critical shortage of strategic resources, such as steel and gas. Consequently, German foreign policy objectives were planned to be achieved via short, intense conflicts along its borders for limited objectives. Against all expectations, Poland was completely subjugated in a very short campaign. France completely capitulated in six weeks and subsequently most of Europe fell under German sway. All of these rapid early victories were fueled by massive gasoline imports from the Soviet Union and Romania. Even then, gasoline supplies were extremely tight and in late 1941 the National Socialists were forced to wind down armament and industrial production due to lack of fuel. This pause helped lull many people in Germany and elsewhere to believe the war would soon be over and negotiated peace would be settled. They were to be sadly, tragically disappointed.
Nevertheless, the wheels of industry still needed to turn and alternative fuel sources, such as coal gas, synthetic gasoline (derived from coal) and holzgas were developed as substitutes. Holzgas was generated from charcoal and Like many German truck manufacturers, Tatra developed a conversion process for its heavy diesel trucks to use Holzgas as an Holzgas generators were installed on many different models. https://tatrat600.blogspot.com/2021/01/1944-tatra-type-81-holzgas-truck.html
