This is the so-called "Bullet Order" authorizing the shooting
of escaped prisoners of war.
To be transmitted in secret-To be handled as a secret government matter.
DOR. BERLIN NUE 19 507 March 4, 1944 1430-WF-
To all State Police Directorates except PRAGUE and BRUNN-
Inspectors of the Security Police and of the Security Service.
Subject: Measures to be taken against captured escaped prisoners
of war who are officers or not working non-commissioned officers, except
British and American prisoners of war.
The Supreme Command of the Army has ordered as follows:
1. Every captured escaped prisoner of war who is an
officer or a not working non-commissioned officer, except British and
American prisoners of war, is to be turned over to the Chief of the
Security Police and of the Security Service under the classification
"Step III" regardless of whether the escape occurred during a transport,
whether it was a mass escape or an individual one.
2. Since the transfer of the prisoners of war to the
security police and security service may not become officially known
to the outside under any circumstances other prisoners of war may by
no means be informed of the capture. The captured prisoners are to be
reported to the Army Information Bureau as "escaped and not captured".
Their mail is to be handled accordingly. Inquiries of representatives
of the Protective Power of the International Red Cross, and of other
aid societies will be given the same answer.
3. If escaped British and American prisoners of war
who are officers or not working non-commissioned officers, respectively,
are captured they are to be detained at first outside the prisoner of
war camps and out of sight of prisoners of war; if Army owned buildings
are unavailable they are to be placed in police custody. In every instance
the Corps Area Command will request speedily the Supreme Command of
the Army (Chief, Prisoner of War Section) for a decision as to whether
they are to be turned over to the Chief of the Security Police and of
the Security Service.
In reference to this, I order as follows:
1. The State Police. Directorates will accept the captured
escaped officer prisoners of war from the prisoner of war camp commandants
and will transport them to the Concentration Camp Mauthausen following
the procedure previously used, unless the circumstances render a special
transport imperative. The prisoners of war are to be put in irons on
the transport-not on the station if it is subject to view by the public.
The camp commandant at Mauthausen is to be notified that the transfer
occurs within the scope of the action "Kugel" [translator's note: the
literal translation of "Kugel" is "bullet)'] The State Police Directorates
will submit semi-yearly reports on these transfers giving merely the
figures, the first report being due on 5 July 1944 (sharp). The report
is to be made under the reference "Treatment of Captured Escaped Prisoners
of War who are officers within the Scope of the Action 'Kugel'." In
the case of special events, reports are to be submitted immediately.
The State Police Directorates will maintain exact records.
2. For the sake of secrecy, the Supreme Command of
the Armed Force has been requested to inform the prisoner of war camps
to turn the captured prisoners over to the local State Police Office
and not to send them directly to Mauthausen.
3. Captured escaped British and American officers and
not working non-commissioned officers are to be detained in police custody
in a city in which a State Police office located provided the Army has
no suitable quarters. In view of the existing crowding of police prisons,
the State Police officer will accept captured prisoners only if the
Army actually does not dispose of any suitable space. The prisoner of
war camp commandants are to be contacted in reference to their quarters
immediately after the receipt of this order. In the interest of the
secrecy of this order, confinement outside of police jails, e.g. in
Labor Education Camps is not permissible.
4. If escaped prisoners of war who are officers and
not working non-commissioned officers except British and American prisoners
of war are captured by police authorities, reasons of practicability
render it unnecessary to return the prisoner to the prisoner of war
camp commandant once the facts have been clarified adequately. The prisoner
of war camp is to be informed of the capture and is to be requested
for a transfer under the classification 'Step III". Captured escaped
British and American prisoners of war who are officers and non-commissioned
officers are always to be turned over to the Army.
5. The city and county police authorities are not to
be informed of this order.
Chief of the Security Police and of the Security Service
IV D5d-B.NR. 61/44 GRS.-For the Chief-(signed) Mueller.
SS General.
Branch Office Aachen. Aachen 6 March 1944
I V D No. 26/44 g Rs
1. Two extract copies were made of this order.
1st Copy to IV A-6 March.
2nd Copy to IV D-2 March.
2. To be filed with IV C.-IV 3 Noted.
ROSCHER 19 June
[two illegible signatures]