Is building without a building permit possible?

My husband and I want to build a single-family house for our own use, as is known. We submitted the very extensive documents called "Bauantrag" and then made changes again because the city we are building in was not satisfied with two points. Then we waited for the building permit, and at some point I gently inquired when we might expect feedback. On the phone, I was told we may build and there would be no further written correspondence. What are your experiences with such verbal statements, or do you think it is possible to "just build" in Germany without a permit? There seems to be a document " ... Zeugnis ..." (I don’t know the exact name) that must be applied for separately and apparently confirms that one may build. I have now applied for the document but don’t know how long it might take to receive it. Do you have experience with this?

What confuses me is that I was told on the phone we can build, but no one wants to just send me a one-liner by email so that, in case there are later problems with (another?) authority, utility providers, or just another caseworker, I at least have something in writing. Our house construction company also wants to see the approved building documents before scheduling a selection appointment. Whether they can be “softened up” to build for us without a building permit, I will find out next week when the caseworker is back. When I asked for a selection appointment a few weeks ago, I did not get one because I could not present the approved building application.

So now we are just waiting for the document " ... Zeugnis ..." (I don’t know the exact name) and hope the issuance does not take too long.

What is your opinion, your feeling, and your experience? We are building in the federal state of Saxony. Please include in your answers which federal state you are building in.

Thank you. :)

Addendum: I am also afraid that our construction will be stopped halfway through because we have nothing to show.

Never start without a building permit. Someone in the neighborhood started building two years ago after an oral agreement. Report, fine, trial, the whole package. To this day, only the strip foundations stand and an end is not in sight.

It seems there is a document " ... certificate ..." (I don't know the exact name) that one has to apply for separately and in which it is apparently confirmed that one is allowed to build. I have now applied for the document,

So you don't know what you (verbally?) (where?) applied for?:oops:

So you don’t know what you (verbally?) (where?) applied for?:oops:

I applied in writing. I couldn’t remember the lengthy official term in bureaucratic German, but I assume that the clerk who told me over the phone knows it. I wrote to her by regular mail explaining what it was about and referred to the phone call. This document can be applied for informally, but not by email.
I’m just too afraid that if I annoy the authorities' staff, I won’t get anything at all.

Never start without a building permit.
In the neighborhood, someone started building two years ago after a verbal agreement. Report, fine, trial, the whole program. To this day, only the strip foundations stand and there is no end in sight.

That's exactly what I fear. :-( In which federal state does the affected neighborhood live?