Graded German Readers
German reading practice organized by CEFR level, from first sentences to richer intermediate stories.
A0 German Stories
Die verschwundene Brotdose
A young girl named Mia discovers her lunch box is missing on her first day at a new school in Hamburg.
Der Drache am Rhein, der kein Feuer spuckt
A gentle story about a green dragon who finds a new way to shine with the help of a friend.
Der falsche Schlüssel im Erdgeschoss
Leon is trying to enter his apartment on the ground floor, but his key is not working.
Die Brezel, die zu früh kam
A young boy named Luca cannot resist the smell of his grandmother's freshly baked pretzel.
Der Ball auf der Linie
A young soccer player named Leon faces a tense moment when the referee must decide if his shot counts as a goal.
Die Trommel, die allein spielt
In a quiet music room, Lena discovers a drum that seems to play by itself.
Die Wasserfrau vom Königssee, die nur Fragen beantwortet
A curious boy meets a mysterious woman at the Königssee who only speaks when asked a question.
Der fremde Schlüssel im Briefkasten
A woman finds a mysterious key in her mailbox and helps an elderly neighbor in need.
Der Startschuss, der zweimal fiel
Mia and Tom are at the starting line of a race where things don't go as planned at first.
Die gestohlene Quittung im Nürnberger Antiquariat
In a small bookshop in Nuremberg, a missing receipt causes a moment of worry for Anna and her customer Max.
Der erste Hammerschlag gegen die Berliner Mauer
A man named Klaus takes a hammer to the Berlin Wall during the historic events of November 1989.
Die falsche Etage
Maria is looking for her hotel room but accidentally gets off on the wrong floor.
Die Nixe, die dem Fischer nur eine Frage erlaubt
An old fisherman meets a mysterious mermaid in a lake and must choose his one question wisely.
Das Fenster im dritten Stock, das sich jede Nacht öffnet
A man investigates a mysterious blue window that opens every night in an old, quiet house.
Der Marktstand, der nur bei Regen geöffnet hat
In a city park, Anna discovers a mysterious market stall that only opens when it rains.
Das geschlossene Stadttor in Rothenburg
A tourist named Anna finds a surprising way into the beautiful old city of Rothenburg when the main gate is closed.
Das Foto, das Oma weggelegt hat
Lena discovers an old photograph that makes her grandmother emotional, leading to a quiet moment of sharing memories.
A1 German Stories
Der Daumenabdruck im Ton
Lena discovers a mysterious collection of intentionally flawed pottery in a workshop in Erfurt.
Das Vogelhaus aus altem Holz
Lukas builds a birdhouse with his grandfather Otto and discovers a mysterious mark on the wood.
Die Geigensaite, die beim letzten Konzert in Weimar riss
Lena faces a moment of crisis during her violin concert in Weimar when a string suddenly breaks.
Das Trikot, das die Mannschaft nie wusch
A local soccer team believes their dirty, unwashed jersey is the secret to their success until a new cleaner decides to wash it.
Die Treppe in Trier, die laut Stadtplan nicht existiert
Lena discovers a hidden staircase in Trier that is not on her map while rushing to meet her grandmother.
Der Kuchen, der zu spät kam
A heartwarming story about two sisters and a chocolate cake that didn't go quite as planned.
Die Orgelpfeife, die der Dombaumeister einmauerte
A cleaning lady in a cathedral discovers a hidden organ pipe that has been playing from inside a wall for centuries.
Der Rübezahl und das gestohlene Wort
In the Giant Mountains, a woman named Marta learns the danger of speaking the name of a powerful mountain spirit.
Der leere Stuhl im Reichstag
In March 1933, a member of the German parliament notices empty seats and a changing political atmosphere during a critical vote.
Der leere Platz am Geburtstagstisch
Lisa celebrates her birthday with a quiet family gathering while waiting for an uncertain guest after a disagreement.
Die Frau, die jeden Dienstag denselben Tisch im Café Landtmann bestellte
A waiter notices a woman who visits the same cafe every Tuesday to wait for someone special.
Der Wecker, den die Nachbarin jeden Morgen überhört
A man deals with the loud morning alarm of his neighbor who somehow sleeps right through it.
Die falsche Tür im alten Mietshaus
A newcomer to an old apartment building accidentally opens the wrong door but finds a new friend.
Der Zwiebelkuchen vom falschen Sonntag
Anna wants to bake a special onion cake for her grandmother, but a missing ingredient leads to a surprising result.
Der Nachbar, der immer um drei Uhr klingelt
Anna discovers the surprising reason why her doorbell rings every night at 3:00 AM.
Die Rügenfahre, die wegen eines einzigen Koffers umkehrte
A ferry passenger realizes she left her important suitcase on the dock, leading the captain to make a surprising decision.
Der Elfmeter, den niemand schießen wollte
A tense soccer match comes down to a final penalty kick that everyone is too afraid to take except for one small player.
Der Honig, den der alte Imker aus dem Spreewald nie verkaufte
An old beekeeper in the Spreewald region possesses a special dark honey that he refuses to sell for any price.
Das Notizbuch in der Jackentasche der Gefangenen
A prisoner in 1944 secretly records names in a tiny notebook to ensure the world remembers the people held within the cold cell walls.
Der Junge, der Beethovens Bleistift verlor
A young boy working for the famous Ludwig van Beethoven accidentally loses the composer's favorite pencil.
Der Ring im Fundbüro Leipzig
A woman visits a lost and found office in Leipzig to search for a valuable family heirloom.
Der Weihnachtsmarkt, der eine Stunde zu früh schloss
A young woman races against time to find a specific Christmas gift for her grandmother after the market closes unexpectedly early.
A2 German Stories
Das Rezept in der alten Brotdose
A young baker discovers a forgotten recipe from 1951 hidden in an old lunchbox, leading to a mysterious reaction from her boss.
Die Frage in der Johannisnacht
A young girl named Mara steps out of her tent at night and follows a mysterious path of lanterns to a silent lake.
Die Nacht, in der die Heinzelmännchen nicht kamen
A retelling of the classic Cologne legend about a baker who loses the help of magical house gnomes due to his curiosity and fear.
Die Jacke, die die Schwestern beim Begräbnis tauschten
Two sisters who have not spoken in weeks find a moment of reconciliation at their mother's funeral through a shared red coat.
Das Licht im leeren Haus gegenüber
A young woman notices a mysterious light appearing every night in the abandoned house across the street.
Der Zug nach Erfurt, der nur donnerstags hält
A woman travels by a rare weekly train to reconcile with her grandmother in the hospital.
Die Geige im Fundbüro Köln
An employee at a lost-and-found office in Cologne discovers a mysterious violin and tracks down its rightful owner.
Die Uhr, die im Dresdner Schutt stehenblieb
In the ruins of 1945 Dresden, a young woman searches for a precious family heirloom that holds the memory of a frozen moment in time.
Der Senf, den Düsseldorf nicht verkaufen wollte
A heartwarming story about a legendary mustard in a small shop in Düsseldorf and the special memory it holds.
Die Postkarte aus Wien, die zehn Jahre zu spät kam
A woman discovers a postcard from an old friend that arrived ten years after it was sent from Vienna.
Der Schiedsrichter, der in der 89. Minute die Uhr anhielt
A veteran referee faces a difficult decision during a high-stakes championship final when a player suddenly collapses.
Der Umzugskarton, den niemand öffnen wollte
After moving into a new apartment, Laura hesitates to open a mysterious box belonging to her late mother.
Der Staffelstab, der in München liegen blieb
A young relay team from Rosenheim faces a difficult moment during a big race in Munich.
Die Stimme, die der Kölner Rundfunk 1962 aus dem Archiv tilgte
A young archive worker in 1962 Cologne must choose between following his boss's orders to clear space and preserving a beautiful voice from the past.
Die Unterschrift, die Bismarck dreimal verweigerte
This story follows a young secretary witnessing the historic tension and final days of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck's career as he defies the young Kaiser Wilhelm II.
Das vergessene Paket am Bahnhof Zoo
A kind-hearted woman discovers a misplaced birthday gift at a busy Berlin train station and goes out of her way to return it to its owner.
Das leere Schließfach am Hamburger Hauptbahnhof
A woman searching for her missing brother follows a mysterious instruction to a train station locker, only to realize a small mistake leads to a big discovery.
Der Pfeifer, der in Hameln die falsche Gasse einschlug
A retelling of the Pied Piper legend with a surprising twist where a wrong turn in the narrow streets of Hameln changes the outcome.
Die Fahrkarte, die der Grenzsoldat in Marienborn behielt
In 1987, a traveler on a train through East Germany faces a mysterious and tense encounter with a border guard at the Marienborn checkpoint.
B1 German Stories
Der Schlosser aus Magdeburg, dessen Name aus dem Protokoll gestrichen wurde
In the aftermath of the brutal 1631 Siege of Magdeburg, a humble locksmith performs an act of hidden heroism that the official history books forgot.
Der Kassenzettel, den niemand in der WG bezahlen wollte
A story about living with roommates, a grocery receipt, and the quiet tension of shared responsibilities in a shared apartment.
Die Einladung, die beide Schwestern gleichzeitig erhielten
Two estranged sisters receive an unexpected invitation from their father, leading to a long-overdue reunion.
Der Staffelwechsel, den die Trainerin verboten hatte
A high-stakes relay race pushes Mia and her teammates to decide between following their coach's safe orders or risking a 'blind' exchange for a chance at victory.
Die Probe, nach der der Cellist seinen Bogen schweigend einpackte
A cellist navigates the tension of a music rehearsal and a critique from the lead violinist just days before a major concert.
Das Telegramm, das den Waffenstillstand um einen Tag verzögerte
A young German telegraph operator faces a moral and historical dilemma when a blurry word in a message could change the course of the war.
Der falsche Name auf dem Klingelschild im vierten Stock
A young woman named Mara visits an old address looking for her estranged sister, only to find a mysterious man and a long-lost connection.
Der Notenrand, auf dem Brahms die falsche Tonart notierte
A young music copyist in 19th-century Vienna discovers a subtle error in a manuscript by the great Johannes Brahms.
Der Kobold, der nur in Bergwerken die Wahrheit sagt
A widow seeks answers from a goblin in an old silver mine, only to discover that the truth she really needs is about herself.
Die Metzgerei, die das Rezept nur mündlich weitergab
A long-standing family butcher shop in a small German town relies on memory and tradition rather than written recipes to pass down its famous sausage secret.
Der Goldschmied vom Nikolaiviertel und die falsche Quittung
A local goldsmith in Berlin's historic district investigates a missing brooch and a suspicious receipt.
Der Briefkasten, den zwei Familien seit zwanzig Jahren teilen
Two neighbors who have shared a mailbox for twenty years find a forgotten letter that changes their relationship.
Die Partitur, die der Wiener Verleger nie zurückschickte
A young composer from Graz travels to Vienna to recover a lost symphony from a powerful publisher.
Der Mieter, der nie Müll vor die Tür stellte
A curious neighbor investigates why an old man in her building never puts his trash bin out on collection day.
Das Salzfass, das auf keiner Hochzeit in Franken fehlen darf
A man from Berlin learns about the deep cultural significance of salt cellars during a traditional wedding in Franconia.
Der Käse, den der Allgäuer Senn nur im Mondlicht schnitt
A traditional Alpine cheesemaker demonstrates to a skeptical journalist that some things in life require patience and respect rather than just scientific explanations.
Der Müller, der dem Schwarzen Mann seinen Schatten lieh
In a desperate moment, a miller makes a strange deal to save his business by lending his shadow to a mysterious stranger.
Die Gasse in Augsburg, die nur am Dreikönigstag einen Namen trägt
A young woman follows her late grandmother's mysterious instructions to find a hidden street in Augsburg that only exists for one day a year.
Der Kupferstich, der in drei Berliner Auktionen verschwand
An observant auction house assistant notices a mysterious pattern when a specific 18th-century engraving keeps appearing for sale in Berlin.
Das Wirtshaus am Bodensee, das nur am Vorabend des Erntedankfests öffnet
A story about a mysterious inn by Lake Constance that only opens once a year, bringing together two people who once drifted apart.
Das Remis, das den Aufstieg kostete
A goalkeeper must decide whether to share crucial information with his teammates during a rainy, high-stakes football match.
Das Versprechen, das auf der Zugspitze gegeben wurde
Two estranged brothers meet at the summit of Germany's highest mountain to confront a broken promise and a family secret.
B2 German Stories
Die Loreley, die dem Schiffer seinen wahren Namen zurückgab
A man who lost his sense of self after encountering the legendary Loreley returns to the Rhine to reclaim his identity.
Die Aufnahme, die der Berliner Tonmeister aus dem Archiv löschte
A veteran sound engineer in Berlin discovers a long-lost recording that reveals a dark secret about a legendary pianist.
Die Sekunde, die den Berliner Olympiarekord von 1936 ungültig machte
A reflective historical narrative about the ethical shadows behind the 1936 Olympic world record in Berlin.
Das Fenster, das der Umzugswagen nicht passieren konnte
A meticulous nephew faces a logistical and emotional challenge when his aunt insists on moving a massive, historic lead-glass window to her new home.
Der Umweg durch das Erzgebirge, der nicht im Fahrplan stand
A delayed train leads a journalist to discover the hidden depth and traditional craftsmanship of the Erzgebirge mountains.
Der Sauerteig, den die Bäckerin aus Dresden nie nach Hause nahm
A veteran baker in Dresden reflects on the deeper meaning of continuity and legacy through her daily care for an old sourdough starter.
Die Generalprobe, nach der der Dirigent das Pult für immer verließ
A long-serving conductor unexpectedly walks away from his orchestra during a final rehearsal, leaving behind a legacy of silence and unanswered questions.
Die Schritte, die im Treppenhaus immer auf der dritten Stufe aufhörten
A haunting and atmospheric story about a woman who discovers the touching history behind the nightly, rhythmic footsteps heard in her old apartment building.
Der Hammerwurf, den die DDR-Athletin verweigerte
A talented East German hammer thrower faces a moral dilemma when she is ordered to lose a competition for political reasons.
Der Brief, den die Schwestern nie gemeinsam lasen
A moving story about two estranged sisters in Germany who confront their past and a long-hidden letter from their late mother.
Das Schild am Goslarer Marktbrunnen, das seit hundert Jahren den falschen Namen trägt
An experienced tour guide in Goslar knows a historical secret about a famous fountain's plaque that the city refuses to correct.
Die Stille nach dem letzten Klingelton der Berliner Mauer
A German border guard reflects on the surreal atmosphere and bureaucratic error that led to the opening of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989.
Die Rechnung, die der Münchner Antiquar zweimal ausstellte
An estate appraiser uncovers a suspicious double invoice in a deceased bookseller's records that leads to a secret provenance scheme.