Diplomurkunde and Diplom (Diplomlehrer) in English? This might be off-topic but I thought I would try here since I know we have people who will know the answer.

I have received two documents from a prospective teacher. They seem to be German diplomas but I do not understand clearly what they really mean. The names of the diplomas are:


Diplomurkunde, and
Diplom (Diplomlehrer)


(1) translates (via Google) as Diploma Certificate. This is a bit confusing because I normally think of certificates as something and a diploma as something else (which requires more studying).

(2) translates as Graduate Teacher. This seems to be quite different from what I'm used to as a graduate teacher is something you are (or something you do) rather than something you've achieved.

Is there a more detailed explanation which would tie back to the UK or US educational system?
Pre-Bologna process, a German Diplom (which is no longer being awarded, and [see cbeleites's comment below] is mostly replaced now by a Master's degree) was generally the rough equivalent of a US Master's degree, attaining it is one of the requirements to start Doctorate studies. 

Your applicant sent you two documents:


The Diplomurkunde is roughly the Master's diploma in the US. It is called a "certificate" (Urkunde) to distinguish it from the Diplomzeugnisse which also includes the transcript of grades. It is the one that one may consider framing and putting on the wall. 
The Diplomlehrer tells you what subject the applicant received his "masters" in. In particular, he received it in Lehrer, which translates directly to Lecturer Teacher. Or, as we may say, it tells you that he received something like a Master's in education. 


To clear up any doubts, though, you could just ask your applicant to ask the Akademisches Auslandsamt of the place where he received the degree to send a letter attesting to the equivalency of the degree. (That shouldn't be too hard, since now they should've converted to a Bachlor/Master system anyway.)