

The federal prosecutor’s office had asked for the man to receive life imprisonment – which usually runs to a maximum of 15 years in Germany – followed by preventive detention – meaning he would always stay behind bars, because of the potential danger it considered him to pose to wider society should he ever be released.
I’m not German so I can’t comment with any certainty, but it sounds like the life sentence is 15 years in prison followed by indefinite confinement after that?
I, for one, appreciate the distinction! 😃