diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/PersonTypeahead.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/PersonTypeahead.svelte
index 5196108a..dfd4051f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/PersonTypeahead.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/PersonTypeahead.svelte
@@ -10,8 +10,10 @@ interface Props {
 	value?: string;
 	initialName?: string;
 	suggestedName?: string;
+	placeholder?: string;
 	restrictToCorrespondentsOf?: string;
 	onchange?: (value: string) => void;
+	onfocused?: () => void;
 }
 
 let {
@@ -20,8 +22,10 @@ let {
 	value = $bindable(''),
 	initialName = '',
 	suggestedName = '',
+	placeholder,
 	restrictToCorrespondentsOf,
-	onchange
+	onchange,
+	onfocused
 }: Props = $props();
 
 let searchTerm = $state(initialName);
@@ -79,6 +83,7 @@ function handleInput() {
 }
 
 function handleFocus() {
+	onfocused?.();
 	showDropdown = true;
 	if (restrictToCorrespondentsOf) {
 		const personId = untrack(() => restrictToCorrespondentsOf)!;
@@ -131,7 +136,7 @@ function clickOutside(node: HTMLElement) {
 		bind:value={searchTerm}
 		oninput={handleInput}
 		onfocus={handleFocus}
-		placeholder={m.comp_typeahead_placeholder()}
+		placeholder={placeholder ?? m.comp_typeahead_placeholder()}
 		class="mt-1 block w-full rounded-md border border-line p-2 shadow-sm focus:border-accent focus:ring-accent"
 	/>
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/korrespondenz/+page.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/korrespondenz/+page.svelte
index d29e442d..3b06de06 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/korrespondenz/+page.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/korrespondenz/+page.svelte
@@ -76,53 +76,49 @@ function swapPersons() {
 }
 
 function selectPerson(id: string) {
+	if (!id) {
+		document.querySelector<HTMLInputElement>('#senderId-search')?.focus();
+		return;
+	}
 	senderId = id;
 	receiverId = '';
 	applyFilters();
 }
 </script>
 
-<div class="mx-auto max-w-3xl px-4 py-8">
-	<!-- Page Header -->
-	<div class="mb-6 border-b border-[#E0DDD6] pb-4">
-		<h1 class="font-serif text-2xl font-semibold text-[#002850]">{m.conv_heading()}</h1>
-		<p class="mt-1 font-sans text-sm text-[#666]">
-			{m.conv_subtitle()}
-		</p>
-	</div>
+<!-- Strip: Row 1 — full width, no container -->
+<CorrespondenzPersonBar
+	bind:senderId={senderId}
+	bind:receiverId={receiverId}
+	initialSenderName={data.initialValues.senderName}
+	initialReceiverName={data.initialValues.receiverName}
+	onapplyFilters={applyFilters}
+	onswapPersons={swapPersons}
+/>
 
-	<!-- Filter strip: Row 1 — persons -->
-	<CorrespondenzPersonBar
-		bind:senderId={senderId}
-		bind:receiverId={receiverId}
-		initialSenderName={data.initialValues.senderName}
-		initialReceiverName={data.initialValues.receiverName}
-		onapplyFilters={applyFilters}
-		onswapPersons={swapPersons}
+<!-- Strip: Row 2 — full width -->
+<CorrespondenzFilterControls
+	senderId={senderId}
+	bind:fromDate={fromDate}
+	bind:toDate={toDate}
+	bind:sortDir={sortDir}
+	documentCount={data.documents.length}
+	onapplyFilters={applyFilters}
+	ontoggleSort={toggleSort}
+/>
+
+<!-- Single-person hint bar -->
+{#if isSinglePerson}
+	<SinglePersonHintBar
+		senderName={senderName}
+		fromDate={fromDate || undefined}
+		toDate={toDate || undefined}
+		sortDir={sortDir}
 	/>
+{/if}
 
-	<!-- Filter strip: Row 2 — date/sort/count -->
-	<CorrespondenzFilterControls
-		senderId={senderId}
-		bind:fromDate={fromDate}
-		bind:toDate={toDate}
-		bind:sortDir={sortDir}
-		documentCount={data.documents.length}
-		onapplyFilters={applyFilters}
-		ontoggleSort={toggleSort}
-	/>
-
-	<!-- Single-person hint bar -->
-	{#if isSinglePerson}
-		<SinglePersonHintBar
-			senderName={senderName}
-			fromDate={fromDate || undefined}
-			toDate={toDate || undefined}
-			sortDir={sortDir}
-		/>
-	{/if}
-
-	<!-- Results -->
+<!-- Content area with padding -->
+<div class="px-[18px] py-[14px]">
 	{#if !senderId}
 		<CorrespondenzEmptyState onSelectPerson={selectPerson} />
 	{:else if data.documents.length === 0}
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/korrespondenz/ConversationTimeline.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/korrespondenz/ConversationTimeline.svelte
index 1eedcd68..cf52312f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/korrespondenz/ConversationTimeline.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/korrespondenz/ConversationTimeline.svelte
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ const outPct = $derived(documents.length > 0 ? (outCount / documents.length) * 1
 
 const isBilateral = $derived(!!senderId && !!receiverId);
 
+const shortSenderName = $derived(senderName?.split(' ')[0] ?? senderName ?? '');
+const shortReceiverName = $derived(receiverName?.split(' ')[0] ?? receiverName ?? '');
+
 function statusDotClass(status: string): string {
 	const map: Record<string, string> = {
 		PLACEHOLDER: 'bg-yellow-400',
@@ -82,8 +85,8 @@ const newDocUrl = $derived(
 		aria-label="Briefverteilung in diesem Zeitraum: {outCount} von {senderName ?? ''}, {inCount} von {receiverName ?? ''}"
 	>
 		<div class="flex justify-between text-[10px] font-bold">
-			<span class="text-[#002850]">{outCount} von {senderName} →</span>
-			<span class="text-[#0F5755]">{inCount} von {receiverName} ←</span>
+			<span class="text-[#002850]">{outCount} von {shortSenderName} →</span>
+			<span class="text-[#0F5755]">{inCount} von {shortReceiverName} ←</span>
 		</div>
 		<div class="flex h-[5px] overflow-hidden rounded-full bg-[#E0DDD6]">
 			<div class="h-full bg-[#002850] transition-all" style="width: {outPct}%"></div>
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/korrespondenz/CorrespondenzPersonBar.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/korrespondenz/CorrespondenzPersonBar.svelte
index 1a3b22ba..ada7d11f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/korrespondenz/CorrespondenzPersonBar.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/korrespondenz/CorrespondenzPersonBar.svelte
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 <script lang="ts">
 import PersonTypeahead from '$lib/components/PersonTypeahead.svelte';
+import CorrespondentSuggestionsDropdown from './CorrespondentSuggestionsDropdown.svelte';
 
 interface Props {
 	senderId?: string;
@@ -20,6 +21,18 @@ let {
 }: Props = $props();
 
 let swapVisible = $derived(!!(senderId && receiverId));
+
+let showSuggestions = $state(false);
+
+function handleCorrespondentFocused() {
+	if (senderId) showSuggestions = true;
+}
+
+function handleSuggestionSelect(id: string) {
+	receiverId = id;
+	showSuggestions = false;
+	onapplyFilters();
+}
 </script>
 
 <div class="flex items-end gap-[9px] border-b border-[#EAE7E0] bg-white px-4 py-[9px] sm:px-[18px]">
@@ -42,7 +55,6 @@ let swapVisible = $derived(!!(senderId && receiverId));
 		aria-label="Personen tauschen"
 		onclick={onswapPersons}
 		class="mb-1 flex h-7 w-7 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded border border-[#D1D5DB] bg-white text-[#888] transition-colors hover:border-[#002850] hover:text-[#002850]"
-		class:opacity-0={!swapVisible}
 		class:pointer-events-none={!swapVisible}
 		tabindex={swapVisible ? 0 : -1}
 	>
@@ -65,23 +77,31 @@ let swapVisible = $derived(!!(senderId && receiverId));
 
 	<!-- Korrespondent field -->
 	<div
-		class="min-w-0 flex-1"
+		class="relative min-w-0 flex-1"
 		class:[&_input]:border-dashed={!receiverId}
 		class:[&_input]:border-solid={!!receiverId}
 		class:[&_input]:bg-[#F9F8F6]={!receiverId}
 	>
 		<PersonTypeahead
 			name="receiverId"
-			label={receiverId ? 'Korrespondent' : 'Korrespondent'}
+			label={receiverId ? 'Korrespondent' : 'Korrespondent — optional'}
 			bind:value={receiverId}
 			initialName={initialReceiverName}
+			placeholder="Alle Korrespondenten"
 			restrictToCorrespondentsOf={senderId || undefined}
-			onchange={() => onapplyFilters()}
+			onchange={() => {
+				showSuggestions = false;
+				onapplyFilters();
+			}}
+			onfocused={handleCorrespondentFocused}
 		/>
-		{#if !receiverId}
-			<span class="pointer-events-none absolute -mt-[1px] text-[11px] text-[#AAA] italic">
-				— optional
-			</span>
+		{#if showSuggestions && senderId && !receiverId}
+			<CorrespondentSuggestionsDropdown
+				senderId={senderId}
+				senderName=""
+				onselect={handleSuggestionSelect}
+				onclose={() => (showSuggestions = false)}
+			/>
 		{/if}
 	</div>
 </div>
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/korrespondenz/SinglePersonHintBar.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/korrespondenz/SinglePersonHintBar.svelte
index 9bb49308..e643e7eb 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/korrespondenz/SinglePersonHintBar.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/korrespondenz/SinglePersonHintBar.svelte
@@ -1,10 +1,5 @@
 <script lang="ts">
-import {
-	conv_hint_single_person,
-	conv_hint_single_person_filtered,
-	conv_strip_sort_newest,
-	conv_strip_sort_oldest
-} from '$lib/messages-extra';
+import { conv_strip_sort_newest, conv_strip_sort_oldest } from '$lib/messages-extra';
 
 interface Props {
 	senderName: string;
@@ -16,8 +11,9 @@ interface Props {
 let { senderName, fromDate = '', toDate = '', sortDir = 'DESC' }: Props = $props();
 
 let hasDateFilter = $derived(!!(fromDate || toDate));
-
 let sortLabel = $derived(sortDir === 'ASC' ? conv_strip_sort_oldest() : conv_strip_sort_newest());
+let fromYear = $derived(fromDate ? fromDate.substring(0, 4) : '');
+let toYear = $derived(toDate ? toDate.substring(0, 4) : '');
 </script>
 
 <div
@@ -26,13 +22,12 @@ let sortLabel = $derived(sortDir === 'ASC' ? conv_strip_sort_oldest() : conv_str
 	<span class="text-sm" aria-hidden="true">📋</span>
 
 	{#if hasDateFilter}
-		{conv_hint_single_person_filtered({
-			name: senderName,
-			from: fromDate ?? '',
-			to: toDate ?? '',
-			sortLabel
-		})}
+		<strong>{senderName}</strong>
+		<span>·</span>
+		<span>{fromYear}–{toYear}</span>
+		<span>·</span>
+		<span>{sortLabel}</span>
 	{:else}
-		{conv_hint_single_person({ name: senderName })}
+		Alle Briefe von <strong>{senderName}</strong> — wähle einen Korrespondenten oben um einzugrenzen
 	{/if}
 </div>