The decree stated that Allied prisoners of war who attempted to escape but were recaptured, especially officers and senior non-commissioned officers, should be handed over to the Sicherheitsdienst (SD) who should execute them, "im Rahmen der Aktion Kugel" (transl.

An exception was made for British and American prisoners of war who unsuccessfully attempted to escape.

[1]: 15  Their fate was to be decided by the German High Command (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht) on a case-by-case basis.

The bullet decree was later amended to include British prisoners of war after the Great Escape from Stalag Luft III of 25 March 1944.

Abraham Edelheit attributes this order to head of Gestapo, Heinrich Müller, but with a date of November 1944.