Reference
Glossary: repatriation and funeral terms
38 terms that appear in forms, letters from authorities and quotations — explained briefly, without officialese.
A
Air waybill
The freight document for transport by air. Its number allows the journey of the deceased to be traced.
Anonymous burial
Interment in a communal field without a name and without a visible plot. As a rule the family is not told the exact spot.
More on this: Anonymous burial
Apostille
A certification mark that makes a document valid abroad. Which countries require it depends on the Hague Convention.
Ash capsule
The metal container into which the ashes are filled after cremation and which is officially sealed. It sits inside the decorative urn.
More on this: Cremation
Autopsy
An internal examination to establish the cause of death. Where one is ordered, the public prosecutor’s release is needed for the burial.
B
Berlin Agreement
The 1937 international agreement on the transport of the deceased. It governs the corpse passport and the requirements for the coffin. The United States is not a contracting state.
More on this: Zinc-lined coffin
Burial
Interment in a coffin in an earth grave at a cemetery. The intended form in Islam and Judaism.
C
Certificate of no objection
Confirmation from the public health office that there are no epidemiological objections to the repatriation.
Columbarium
A structure with niches for urns, often called an urn wall. Sheltered from the weather and free of grave care.
More on this: Cremation
Compulsory cemetery burial
The rule that the deceased and their ashes may only be interred at approved places. Keeping an urn at home is not permitted in Germany.
Consular approval
The destination country’s consular consent to bringing in a deceased person. Without it there is no repatriation to non-EU countries.
More on this: Repatriation costs
Consular Report of Death Abroad
A US consular document certifying the death of a US citizen abroad. Relatives need it in the United States for banks, insurers and probate.
More on this: A US citizen has died in Germany
Corpse passport
The document without which no deceased person is transported abroad in a coffin. It goes back to the Berlin Agreement and accompanies the deceased throughout the journey.
More on this: Documents required
Cremation
Cremation at a crematorium followed by interment of the urn. Today the most common form in Germany.
More on this: Cremation
Crematorium
The facility where the cremation is carried out. The slot it allocates often determines when the service can take place.
D
Death certificate
The official document issued by the registry office confirming the death. For use abroad the international multilingual format is usually required.
Duty to arrange the funeral
The statutory duty of relatives to arrange the funeral. It applies regardless of whether an inheritance was renounced.
E
Embalming
Preservative treatment of the body. It is mandatory for export from countries such as Egypt or Cyprus.
More on this: Repatriation from Egypt
Examination of the body
The medical examination to establish the fact, time and cause of death. The result is the medical certificate of death.
More on this: What to do when someone dies
F
Farewell viewing
The opportunity to see the deceased once more before the interment. For a repatriation in a coffin it must take place before the zinc liner is soldered.
More on this: What to do when someone dies
Funeral service
The ceremony of farewell, with or without the coffin or urn. Fix the date only once the transport and clearances are in place.
G
Grave right of use
The time-limited right to use a grave plot — usually 20 to 30 years. It is not ownership and can be extended.
H
Hygienic care
Washing, dressing and preparing the deceased before a viewing or coffining. Carried out by our partners.
L
Lawn grave
A plot in a maintained lawn area, usually with a small name plaque. The cemetery takes care of the upkeep.
More on this: Anonymous burial
M
Medical certificate of death
The form completed by the doctor after the examination. Without it neither the registry office nor a repatriation can proceed.
More on this: What to do when someone dies
P
Period of rest
The period during which a grave may not be reassigned. Usually 20 to 30 years, depending on the federal state and the soil.
R
Registry office
The authority that registers the death and issues the death certificate. The death must be reported by the third working day.
More on this: What to do when someone dies
Repatriation
The transport of a deceased person from one place to another — within Germany or across borders.
More on this: Repatriation costs
S
Scattering meadow
A specially designated area at a cemetery where ashes may be scattered. Rare in Germany and permitted only there.
Sea burial
Interment of the urn in designated sea areas of the North or Baltic Sea. A water-soluble urn is mandatory.
More on this: Sea burial
Second examination
An additional medical examination before a cremation. Required in most federal states, because nothing can be verified afterwards.
More on this: Cremation
Selected grave
A grave whose position can be chosen and whose term can be extended — unlike a row grave.
Social welfare funeral
The social welfare office covering funeral costs under § 74 SGB XII where they cannot reasonably be borne by relatives — limited to a simple funeral at the place of residence.
Subsequent registration
Registration of a death that occurred abroad with the German registry office. Relatives thereby obtain a German death certificate.
More on this: Repatriation from the USA
T
Tree burial
Interment of the urn at the roots of a tree in a burial forest. Grave care falls away; markings are usually small.
More on this: Cremation
U
Urn
The vessel for the ashes after a cremation. For a sea burial it must be water-soluble.
More on this: Urn repatriation abroad
Urn repatriation
Transport of an urn abroad. Considerably simpler and usually about half the cost of a coffin repatriation.
More on this: Urn repatriation abroad
Z
Zinc-lined coffin
A wooden coffin with a hermetically soldered metal liner. Almost always mandatory for repatriating a deceased person abroad.
More on this: Zinc-lined coffin
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