Dear @Seekingans,
Welcome to the Wefugees Community and thank you for reaching out to us.
There are several different sets of requirements for the permanent settlement (Niederlassungserlaubnis) in Germany and they are usually depending on the type of temporary residence you are holding when applying for it. In case you are a family member of a German citizen (and hold a residence permit according to section 28 of the German Residence Act), please see a list of the conditions for the permanent/unlimited residence here. When holding this residence permit, you are not required to "furnish proof of having paid compulsory or voluntary contributions to the statutory German Pension Fund for at least 60 months, or of entitlement to comparable benefits by another insurance company.". The same applies for people who are recognized refugees in Germany - please see a respective list here. In case the "general" conditons apply to your situation, though, be aware that "the proofs of entitlement to pension schemes may also be provided by the spouse or same-sex partner in the event of marital or civil partner-ship cohabitation."
I hope this helps and please don't hesitate to get back to us with any further questions.
All the best,
Meike