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"(I was shocked when I saw the they put the name of the illness on the note. That's so far from my employers business that it should be illegal to even ask. Employees and consumers rights in Germany seem to be seriously limited.)"

You get multiple papers in Germany. The one without (!) diagnosis is for your employer.

The note for your employer does not contain any information about the reason for the sick leave in Germany, the one for your health insurance does.

You can buy insurance from it. It's generally there to cover you from being unable to work for a period of more than a week. So serious stuff.

As an employee the employer will have insurance but basically have to eat the cost of short sickness.

I'm a freelancer but I've chosen not to buy the insurance. It's very expensive and can survive on her income. I put the money I would have spent into a buffer.