Unnatural Death in Germany — What Happens When Police and Prosecutors Get Involved

How an Unnatural Death Classification Changes Everything

When the physician conducting the Leichenschau (post-mortem examination) marks the death as unnatural (unnatürliche Todesart) or unexplained (ungeklärte Todesart) on the Todesbescheinigung, the case leaves the family's hands. The physician is legally required to notify the police. From that point, the local Kriminalpolizei secures the scene, seizes the remains, and transfers them to a forensic medicine institute (Institut für Rechtsmedizin).

This classification triggers automatically for accidents, suicides, suspected violence, drug-related deaths, and any case where the attending physician cannot conclusively confirm a natural cause. Deaths in public spaces — on the street, in a park, in a hotel — are also flagged more often than deaths in hospitals or private homes.

The Staatsanwaltschaft Process

The public prosecutor (Staatsanwaltschaft) oversees the investigation. If the initial police assessment warrants it, the prosecutor orders a forensic autopsy — a full internal and external examination conducted by a forensic pathologist. This is not the same as the routine Leichenschau performed by an emergency physician; it is a comprehensive judicial procedure.

The wider investigation may take longer if toxicology panels are needed (common in drug-related or poisoning cases), if histological tissue analysis is required, or if the forensic institute is handling a backlog.

Once the prosecutor is satisfied — either that no criminal act occurred or that the investigation can proceed without retaining the body — they issue a Freigabebescheinigung (release permit). This document formally transfers custody of the remains back to the family or their designated Bestatter.

Realistic Timeline Expectations

The research estimates that a police investigation can delay repatriation by about seven to fifteen working days; complex investigations may take longer.

During this waiting period, the body remains in the forensic medicine institute's mortuary. The family cannot arrange embalming, cannot have the remains sealed in a transport casket, and cannot book air cargo. Islamic ritual washing and shrouding are also suspended until release.

What Families Can Do While Waiting

While physical release is pending, the family can prepare administrative and document work in parallel:

• Standesamt registration and certificate issuance cannot proceed until the Freigabe; the family should assemble the required documents in the meantime.
• Turkish consulate notification can be prepared, but the consulate's registration will require the German death documentation and its current filing requirements.
• Document assembly — birth certificates, marriage certificates, passport copies — should happen immediately so there is no additional delay once the body is released.
• Cenaze fonu or Bestatter engagement should be confirmed early so that logistics can begin within hours of the Freigabe arriving.

Communicating with the Prosecutor's Office

Families have the right to ask the Staatsanwaltschaft for status updates, though responses may be slow. The investigating officer (Sachbearbeiter) assigned to the case is usually the most responsive contact. Through a German-speaking representative or lawyer, the family can request an estimated timeline and ask to be notified immediately when the Freigabe is issued.

If the family has engaged a Bestatter, the funeral director can also contact the forensic institute directly to arrange prompt collection once the release arrives.

The Turkish Dies in Germany — Family Guide covers the full investigation timeline, including how to track the Freigabe and coordinate parallel administrative steps so that repatriation begins within hours of release.