After a death, important first steps must be taken despite the grief. This checklist helps you to stay organized and ensure nothing important is forgotten during the first 24 to 48 hours.
Important Note: Please be aware that specific procedures and deadlines may vary depending on the federal state (Bundesland) and even the municipality. Your funeral director is familiar with local regulations and will provide you with comprehensive and individual advice.
Short Version: Compact Checklist for Printing (PDF Download)
For a practical overview to check off: Download the Checklist for Death & Bereavement (First 24-48 Hours) as a PDF. This will help you keep all important points in view.
Detailed Checklist for a Death:
Immediate Measures in the First Few Hours
When a person passes away, the following steps are necessary immediately afterward:
- Contact a doctor or emergency services:
- If the person dies at home, immediately call a doctor or the on-call medical service (nationwide in Germany under the phone number 116 117). The doctor will officially confirm the death and issue the death certificate (also called Todesbescheinigung).
- In the event of a sudden death, an accident, or if the cause of death is unclear, call emergency services at 112 (police or ambulance).
- Receive the death certificate: This document is crucial for all further steps, such as engaging a funeral director and applying for the official death certificate (Sterbeurkunde). Keep it in a safe place.
- Inform next of kin: Notify the closest family members and friends about the death. Mutual support is particularly important during this difficult time.
- Special case: Death in a hospital or nursing home: If a person dies in an institution such as a hospital, hospice, or nursing home, the staff there usually take care of the initial organizational steps, including notifying a doctor to issue the death certificate. Clarify the next steps with the staff.
- (Optional, but often relevant) Initial care and securing the premises:
- Take care of any pets the deceased may have had.
- If the deceased lived alone, secure the apartment or house (e.g., close windows and doors, secure valuables if necessary).
The First 24 Hours: Contacting a Funeral Director & Initial Organization (Bereavement Checklist)
After the death has been medically confirmed and the closest relatives have been informed, contacting a funeral director becomes the focus. This is an important step, as the funeral director can guide you through the entire process and take on many organizational tasks.
When to inform the funeral director?
- Recommendation: Within the first 24 hours. It is advisable to contact and engage a funeral director as soon as possible after the death, ideally within the first 24 hours.
- Why so soon?
- Transfer (Überführung): The deceased must be transferred to the funeral director's premises or to a cemetery and kept cool there. Legal deadlines for the transfer vary by federal state but are often between 24 and 48 hours after death if the deceased is laid out at home. Your funeral director knows the local regulations.
- Initial consultation and relief: An early conversation with the funeral director allows you to clarify initial questions and get advice on the next steps. This can be a great emotional relief.
- Planning security: The sooner you involve the funeral director, the better appointments for the funeral service and burial can be coordinated.
Choosing a Funeral Home
Choosing the right funeral director is a very personal decision. If possible, take a short time for this. The following aspects can help:
- Recommendations: Ask friends, acquaintances, or relatives about their experiences and recommendations.
- Online research: Search for funeral directors in your area. Many companies have websites where you can get a first impression (e.g., about the range of services and the company's philosophy). Look for memberships in associations such as the Bundesverband Deutscher Bestatter e.V. (BDB) (Federal Association of German Funeral Directors), which often stand for certain quality standards.
- First conversation/gut feeling: An initial, non-binding phone call or meeting can often show whether you feel well looked after and understood by the funeral director. Trust your personal feeling here.
- Cost transparency: A reputable funeral director will transparently break down the costs for the various services.
Tasks of the Funeral Director (Brief Overview)
A funeral home undertakes a variety of tasks and services. These typically include:
- Transfer of the deceased: From the place of death (home, hospital) to the funeral director's premises or directly to the cemetery/crematorium.
- Hygienic care and dressing: The dignified care of the deceased.
- Advice on burial types: Information about the various options such as burial, cremation, sea burial, or tree burial and their respective specifics.
- Handling formalities: Assisting with or taking over administrative procedures, such as applying for the official death certificate (Sterbeurkunde) from the registry office (Standesamt).
- Organizing and conducting the funeral service and burial: Planning the proceedings, coordinating with clergy or funeral speakers, selecting a coffin or urn, designing funeral stationery, ordering floral arrangements.
- Advice on grave selection: Information on different types of graves and the respective cemetery regulations.
The funeral director is your central point of contact and coordinator for many aspects surrounding the funeral.
Important Documents for Funeral Directors & Authorities (Checklist)
Various personal documents of the deceased are required for organizing the funeral and completing necessary formalities. Some of these are important for the first meeting with the funeral director, while others become relevant in the following days for administrative procedures or further settlements. It is helpful to gather these documents as early as possible.
Essential for the first meeting with the funeral director:
The funeral director usually needs these documents at the first detailed consultation to initiate the necessary steps:
- Deceased's ID card or passport: For clear identification.
- Death certificate (Todesbescheinigung): The document issued by the doctor officially certifying the death. The funeral director cannot act without this document.
- If single: Birth certificate.
- If married: Marriage certificate or family register (Familienstammbuch - extract from the family book).
- If widowed: Marriage certificate and the death certificate of the previously deceased spouse.
- If divorced: Marriage certificate and the final divorce decree.
- Deceased's health insurance card: For any deregistrations or settlements.
- If applicable, funeral provision contract: If the deceased had already made a contract with a funeral home during their lifetime or taken out a funeral expenses insurance policy that regulates wishes and financial aspects.
- If applicable, declaration of intent for cremation: If cremation is desired and a handwritten declaration of intent from the deceased exists.
- If applicable, organ donor card: To clarify if organ donation was arranged.
Additionally important in the following days (for the funeral director or later tasks):
These documents are often only needed later but should also be reviewed and made available promptly:
- Will or inheritance contract: The original document, if available and not already deposited with the probate court (Nachlassgericht). It must be handed over to the competent probate court.
- Insurance policies: Especially life insurance, funeral expenses insurance, accident insurance. Insurance companies must be informed of the death to claim benefits or cancel policies.
- Pension statements / Deceased's pension number: Important for deregistering with the pension insurance and applying for a possible widow's/orphan's pension. The pension insurance number can be found on every pension statement.
- Account information: Details of bank accounts (current accounts, savings accounts, depots) to get an overview of the financial situation and, if necessary, to transfer or close accounts.
- Memberships and subscriptions: Documents relating to memberships in clubs, associations, trade unions, as well as subscriptions (newspapers, magazines, streaming services, etc.) to be able to cancel them.
- Rental agreement: If the deceased lived in rented accommodation, to clarify the tenancy and terminate it if necessary.
- Vehicle documents (Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I and II): If the deceased owned a vehicle, for re-registration or sale.
- If applicable, severely disabled person's pass: For any claims or deregistrations.
- If applicable, existing powers of attorney: Advance healthcare directive, power of attorney for bank accounts, or general power of attorney that are valid beyond death and authorize the representative to act.
It is helpful to create a folder in which you collect all important documents. The funeral director can also help you identify which documents are needed in your specific case.
24-48 Hours After Death: Further Planning & Notifications (Bereavement Checklist)
After the initial urgent measures have been taken and the most important documents have been compiled, further important discussions and notifications are due in the hours and days following the death. The funeral director will provide significant support in this regard.
Detailed discussion with the funeral director
A central point is the detailed consultation with the funeral home you have chosen. Here, the details for the burial and the funeral service will be discussed. Typical topics include:
- Determining the type of burial: Together with the funeral director, you clarify which form of burial is desired or corresponds to the wishes of the deceased. Common forms are:
- Burial (Erdbestattung): The interment of the coffin in a grave at a cemetery.
- Cremation (Feuerbestattung): The cremation of the deceased and subsequent interment of the urn. This can be in an urn grave, an urn wall, but also in alternative forms such as a sea or tree burial.
- Sea burial (Seebestattung): The interment of the urn at sea.
- Tree or forest burial (Baum- oder Waldbestattung): The interment of the urn at the roots of a tree in a designated burial forest.
- Selection of the grave site: If no grave site already exists (e.g., a family grave), one must be selected. The funeral director knows the options at local cemeteries and can advise you on the selection.
- Initial considerations for the funeral service:
- Should the funeral service be secular or religious?
- Who should deliver the eulogy (pastor, celebrant, relative)?
- Are there special music requests?
- Should there be a viewing of the deceased?
- Discussing the first draft of the obituary: The obituary informs about the death and announces the place and time of the funeral service. Many funeral directors offer support in wording and design. Alternatively, you can also easily design your obituary online and present it to the funeral director for coordination or for printing in the newspaper.
Important Notifications – Who needs to be informed?
Besides the closest relatives, there are other individuals and institutions that should be informed promptly about the death:
- Other relatives, friends, and acquaintances: Inform the extended family and circle of friends. This can be done personally, by phone, or through an initial short message. The obituary later serves as the official and more comprehensive notification.
- Deceased's employer: Inform the employer of the death. This is important for the HR department (e.g., for the final paycheck, issuance of employment documents, possible company death benefits).
- Your own employer: Also inform your own employer. In the event of the death of close relatives, there is often an entitlement to compassionate leave (Sonderurlaub). Clarify the details with your HR department or supervisor.
- Landlord/Property management: If the deceased lived in rented accommodation, the landlord must be informed to clarify the next steps regarding the rental agreement and the apartment.
- If applicable, nursing service: If a nursing service was involved, they should be notified.
- If applicable, cancel existing appointments of the deceased: Remember to cancel any upcoming doctor's appointments, therapy visits, or other commitments of the deceased.
It can be helpful to create a list of people and institutions to be informed so that no one is forgotten.
Support and Help During Bereavement
Losing a loved one is not only associated with organizational tasks but, above all, with deep grief and emotional distress. It is important to accept support during this difficult time and to give yourself space to grieve.
Professional Support
Do not hesitate to seek professional help. There are various contact points that can assist you with both practical and emotional aspects:
- Funeral director: As already mentioned, the funeral director is your central point of contact for all organizational questions surrounding the funeral. They can take many tasks off your hands and guide you through the entire process.
- Pastoral counselors, grief counselors, psychological support:
- Church pastoral counselors: Pastors or other church staff offer pastoral conversations and support, regardless of religious affiliation.
- Grief counselors: Specially trained grief counselors can help you cope with the loss and manage the grieving process. They often offer individual sessions or grief support groups. Your funeral director or hospice services can provide contacts here.
- Psychologists or therapists: If grief is very burdensome and significantly impacts daily life, psychological or therapeutic support can also be beneficial.
- Telephone counseling (Telefonseelsorge): Telephone counseling services (reachable in Germany at 0800/111 0 111, 0800/111 0 222, or 116 123) offer anonymous and free counseling around the clock.
- Family doctor (Hausarzt): Your family doctor can be an important point of contact, especially if grief leads to physical symptoms such as sleep disturbances or loss of appetite. They may also be able to issue a sick note if you need time for yourself and for organization.
Help from your personal network
Even if it's difficult, ask friends, family, or neighbors for help. Many people in your circle want to support you but often don't know exactly how. Specific requests can be very helpful here:
- Practical tasks: Let others help you with errands, shopping, household chores, or childcare.
- Meals: Perhaps someone can cook for you or bring you food.
- Listening and being there: Sometimes it helps just to have someone there, to listen, or to give you a hug.
- Accompaniment: Ask someone to accompany you to important appointments, such as the meeting with the funeral director or visits to authorities.
Accepting help is not a weakness, but a sign of strength and an important step in the grieving process.
Give yourself time
Grief is an individual process and takes time. There is no "right" or "wrong" way to deal with feelings like pain, anger, despair, or even relief. Allow yourself these feelings and be kind to yourself. Take the time you need to say goodbye and process the loss.
Preparing the Next Steps: Planning the Funeral & Memorial Service
After the first 24 to 48 hours have been managed and the basic groundwork has been laid, the more detailed planning of the funeral and memorial service comes to the forefront. You will tackle these tasks in the coming days in close consultation with the funeral director.
The most important decisions and preparations include:
- Finalizing the design of the funeral service:
- Determining the exact schedule (musical contributions, speeches, rituals).
- Selecting music pieces and possibly commissioning musicians.
- Choosing coffin or urn decorations and other floral arrangements for the funeral hall or church.
- Clarifying whether and how relatives or friends would like to actively participate in the design (e.g., by giving a short speech, reciting a poem).
- Text and design of the obituary and, if applicable, acknowledgment cards:
- The obituary not only serves to announce the death and the service details but is also an expression of appreciation and remembrance of the deceased.
- Consider which words and perhaps which symbol or quote best describe the deceased.
- A dignified obituary not only informs but is also a sign of appreciation. With our online obituary designer, you can choose from many templates, add personal elements, and download the announcement directly as a PDF or image to send it or use it for newspaper printing.
- After the funeral service, it is customary to thank the mourners for their condolences and support. You can also find suitable design options for thank you notes after the funeral service with us.
- Organizing a possible gathering after the burial: Often, a so-called funeral reception or memorial gathering (Leichenschmaus or Trauerkaffee) takes place after the burial. This offers mourners the opportunity to exchange thoughts and remember together in a more informal setting. Clarify whether and in what form this is desired and, if necessary, organize an appropriate venue.
Allow yourself the time you need for all decisions. The funeral home will support you in meeting all necessary deadlines, for example, for placing newspaper advertisements or ordering floral arrangements.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about a Death
Many questions arise during the difficult time after a death. Here you will find answers to some of the most common concerns:
What is the very first step when a death occurs at home?
The first and most important step is to notify a doctor (family doctor or on-call medical service, in Germany under 116 117). The doctor must officially confirm the death and issue the death certificate (Totenschein). Only then can further steps, such as contacting a funeral director, be taken.
When do I need to inform the funeral director at the latest?
It is recommended to contact the funeral director as soon as possible, ideally within the first 24 hours after the death occurs. This allows for the timely transfer (Überführung) of the deceased and an initial consultation. Legal deadlines for the transfer can vary depending on the federal state (Bundesland); your funeral director knows the local regulations.
Which documents are immediately important for the funeral director?
For the first meeting with the funeral director, the deceased's ID card and the death certificate issued by the doctor are usually essential. Depending on marital status, birth, marriage, divorce certificates, or the family register (Familienstammbuch) will also be needed. You can find a detailed list further up in this article under the section "Important Documents for Funeral Directors & Authorities."
What is the best way to inform friends and acquaintances about the death and the funeral?
The closest relatives and friends should be informed personally or by phone if possible. For a wider circle of acquaintances and for the official announcement of the funeral service details, an obituary is suitable. You can place a classic newspaper advertisement or design an online obituary, which you can easily share via email, messenger services, or social networks.
What should an obituary include?
An obituary typically includes the name of the deceased, dates of birth and death, names of the next of kin, as well as information about the place and time of the funeral service and/or burial. Often, a mourning verse or personal words are also added. You can find more detailed information and examples in our guide to designing obituaries.
Further Information & Links
- Official Website of the Federal Association of German Funeral Directors (BDB)
- Easily design a beautiful obituary with our intuitive tool
- Article: Guide to Designing Obituaries
- Article: Obituary vs. Death Notice: The Key Differences
- Article: What does an Obituary in the Newspaper Cost?
- Article: How do I Write a Message of Thanks?