Comparative law notes
Although this phrase may sound awkward, it conveys the fact that this form of last will and testament has been effectively entered into the public record by virtue of its execution in the presence of a German civil law notary. The oft-used phrase, "notarized will", could create some confusion since, at least in the US, "notarized" simply means that the a notary public witnessed the signature, as opposed to a formally trained civil law notary.