diff --git a/frontend/messages/de.json b/frontend/messages/de.json
index 5c97fc2d..eeac0b28 100644
--- a/frontend/messages/de.json
+++ b/frontend/messages/de.json
@@ -1042,6 +1042,7 @@
 	"geschichten_empty_no_filter": "Es gibt noch keine veröffentlichten Geschichten.",
 	"geschichten_back_to_index": "Zurück zu Geschichten",
 	"geschichten_published_on": "veröffentlicht am {date}",
+	"journey_compiled_on": "zusammengestellt am {date}",
 	"geschichten_persons_section": "Personen in dieser Geschichte",
 	"geschichten_documents_section": "Erwähnte Dokumente",
 	"geschichten_document_link_placeholder": "Dokument öffnen",
diff --git a/frontend/messages/en.json b/frontend/messages/en.json
index 9dffd749..d701f22c 100644
--- a/frontend/messages/en.json
+++ b/frontend/messages/en.json
@@ -1042,6 +1042,7 @@
 	"geschichten_empty_no_filter": "There are no published stories yet.",
 	"geschichten_back_to_index": "Back to stories",
 	"geschichten_published_on": "published on {date}",
+	"journey_compiled_on": "compiled on {date}",
 	"geschichten_persons_section": "People in this story",
 	"geschichten_documents_section": "Referenced documents",
 	"geschichten_document_link_placeholder": "Open document",
diff --git a/frontend/messages/es.json b/frontend/messages/es.json
index c1112d89..e183d14a 100644
--- a/frontend/messages/es.json
+++ b/frontend/messages/es.json
@@ -1042,6 +1042,7 @@
 	"geschichten_empty_no_filter": "Aún no hay historias publicadas.",
 	"geschichten_back_to_index": "Volver a Historias",
 	"geschichten_published_on": "publicada el {date}",
+	"journey_compiled_on": "recopilada el {date}",
 	"geschichten_persons_section": "Personas en esta historia",
 	"geschichten_documents_section": "Documentos mencionados",
 	"geschichten_document_link_placeholder": "Abrir documento",
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/geschichte/JourneyItemCard.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/geschichte/JourneyItemCard.svelte
index 586b2060..dff6b316 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/geschichte/JourneyItemCard.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/geschichte/JourneyItemCard.svelte
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 <script lang="ts">
 import { m } from '$lib/paraglide/messages.js';
 import { formatDate } from '$lib/shared/utils/date';
+import { formatDocumentMetaLine } from './utils';
 import type { components } from '$lib/generated/api';
 
 type JourneyItemView = components['schemas']['JourneyItemView'];
@@ -14,16 +15,7 @@ let { item }: Props = $props();
 // Safe: JourneyReader filters out items where document === null before rendering this component.
 const doc = $derived(item.document!);
 const formattedDate = $derived(doc.documentDate ? formatDate(doc.documentDate, 'short') : null);
-const metaLine = $derived.by(() => {
-	const parts: string[] = [];
-	if (formattedDate) parts.push(formattedDate);
-	if (doc.senderName && doc.receiverName) {
-		parts.push(m.journey_item_meta_from_to({ sender: doc.senderName, receiver: doc.receiverName }));
-	} else if (doc.senderName) {
-		parts.push(doc.senderName);
-	}
-	return parts.join(' · ');
-});
+const metaLine = $derived(formatDocumentMetaLine(doc));
 const openAriaLabel = $derived(
 	formattedDate
 		? m.journey_item_open_aria({ date: formattedDate })
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/geschichte/JourneyReader.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/geschichte/JourneyReader.svelte
index 8eabe882..18f93342 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/geschichte/JourneyReader.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/geschichte/JourneyReader.svelte
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ const validItems = $derived(
 		{m.journey_empty_state()}
 	</p>
 {:else}
-	<ol class="flex list-none flex-col gap-4">
+	<ol class="flex list-none flex-col">
 		{#each validItems as item (item.id)}
 			<li>
 				{#if item.document != null}
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/geschichte/StoryReader.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/geschichte/StoryReader.svelte
index bbb36b1a..a6553e47 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/geschichte/StoryReader.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/geschichte/StoryReader.svelte
@@ -1,20 +1,22 @@
 <script lang="ts">
 import { m } from '$lib/paraglide/messages.js';
 import { safeHtml } from '$lib/shared/utils/sanitize';
+import { getInitials, personAvatarColor } from '$lib/person/personFormat';
+import { formatDocumentMetaLine } from './utils';
 import type { components } from '$lib/generated/api';
 
 type GeschichteView = components['schemas']['GeschichteView'];
 
 interface Props {
 	geschichte: GeschichteView;
-	canBlogWrite: boolean;
-	ondelete?: () => Promise<void>;
 }
 
-let { geschichte: g, canBlogWrite, ondelete }: Props = $props();
+let { geschichte: g }: Props = $props();
 
 const sanitized = $derived(safeHtml(g.body));
 
+const documentItems = $derived(g.items.filter((i) => i.document));
+
 function personName(p: { firstName?: string; lastName?: string }): string {
 	return [p.firstName, p.lastName].filter(Boolean).join(' ').trim();
 }
@@ -47,8 +49,15 @@ function personName(p: { firstName?: string; lastName?: string }): string {
 					<a
 						href="/persons/{p.id}"
 						style="display: inline-flex; min-height: 44px"
-						class="inline-flex min-h-[44px] items-center rounded-full bg-muted px-3 py-2.5 font-sans text-sm text-ink hover:bg-accent-bg focus:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-focus-ring"
+						class="inline-flex min-h-[44px] items-center gap-2 rounded-full border border-line bg-surface px-3 py-1.5 font-sans text-sm font-medium text-ink hover:bg-muted focus:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-focus-ring"
 					>
+						<span
+							aria-hidden="true"
+							class="flex h-5 w-5 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full font-sans text-[8px] font-bold text-white"
+							style="background-color: {personAvatarColor(p.id)}"
+						>
+							{getInitials(personName(p))}
+						</span>
 						{personName(p)}
 					</a>
 				</li>
@@ -58,19 +67,50 @@ function personName(p: { firstName?: string; lastName?: string }): string {
 {/if}
 
 <!-- Dokumente (JourneyItems) -->
-{#if g.items && g.items.some((i) => i.document)}
+{#if documentItems.length > 0}
 	<section class="mt-8 border-t border-line pt-6">
 		<h2 class="mb-3 font-sans text-xs font-bold tracking-widest text-ink-2 uppercase">
 			{m.geschichten_documents_section()}
 		</h2>
 		<ul class="flex flex-col gap-2">
-			{#each g.items.filter((i) => i.document) as item (item.id)}
+			{#each documentItems as item (item.id)}
 				<li>
 					<a
 						href="/documents/{item.document!.id}"
-						class="block rounded border border-line bg-surface px-4 py-3 font-serif text-base text-ink hover:bg-muted focus:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-focus-ring"
+						class="flex items-start gap-3 rounded-sm border border-line bg-surface p-3 transition-shadow hover:shadow-sm focus:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-focus-ring"
 					>
-						{m.geschichten_document_link_placeholder()}
+						<span
+							aria-hidden="true"
+							class="flex h-9 w-9 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded bg-muted"
+						>
+							<svg class="h-4 w-4 text-ink-3" viewBox="0 0 10 12" fill="none">
+								<rect
+									x="1"
+									y="1"
+									width="8"
+									height="10"
+									rx="1"
+									stroke="currentColor"
+									stroke-width="1"
+								/>
+								<path
+									d="M3 4h4M3 6.5h4M3 9h2"
+									stroke="currentColor"
+									stroke-width=".8"
+									stroke-linecap="round"
+								/>
+							</svg>
+						</span>
+						<span class="min-w-0">
+							<span class="block font-sans text-sm leading-snug font-semibold text-ink">
+								{item.document!.title}
+							</span>
+							{#if formatDocumentMetaLine(item.document!)}
+								<span class="block font-sans text-xs text-ink-3">
+									{formatDocumentMetaLine(item.document!)}
+								</span>
+							{/if}
+						</span>
 					</a>
 					{#if item.note}
 						<!-- plaintext — do NOT use {@html} here -->
@@ -81,22 +121,3 @@ function personName(p: { firstName?: string; lastName?: string }): string {
 		</ul>
 	</section>
 {/if}
-
-<!-- Author actions -->
-{#if canBlogWrite}
-	<div class="mt-10 flex items-center gap-3 border-t border-line pt-6">
-		<a
-			href="/geschichten/{g.id}/edit"
-			class="inline-flex h-11 items-center rounded border border-line bg-surface px-4 font-sans text-sm font-medium text-ink hover:bg-muted focus:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-focus-ring"
-		>
-			{m.btn_edit()}
-		</a>
-		<button
-			type="button"
-			onclick={() => ondelete?.()}
-			class="inline-flex h-11 items-center rounded font-sans text-sm font-medium text-danger hover:underline focus:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-focus-ring"
-		>
-			{m.btn_delete()}
-		</button>
-	</div>
-{/if}
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/geschichte/StoryReader.svelte.spec.ts b/frontend/src/lib/geschichte/StoryReader.svelte.spec.ts
index 6bd62875..b3b5eeee 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/geschichte/StoryReader.svelte.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/geschichte/StoryReader.svelte.spec.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
-import { describe, it, expect, vi, afterEach } from 'vitest';
+import { describe, it, expect, afterEach } from 'vitest';
 import { cleanup, render } from 'vitest-browser-svelte';
-import { page, userEvent } from 'vitest/browser';
-import { createConfirmService, CONFIRM_KEY } from '$lib/shared/services/confirm.svelte.js';
+import { page } from 'vitest/browser';
 import type { components } from '$lib/generated/api';
 
 const { default: StoryReader } = await import('./StoryReader.svelte');
@@ -24,38 +23,28 @@ const baseGeschichte = (overrides: Partial<GeschichteView> = {}): GeschichteView
 	...overrides
 });
 
-const ctx = () => new Map([[CONFIRM_KEY, createConfirmService()]]);
-
 describe('StoryReader', () => {
 	it('renders body HTML content', async () => {
-		render(StoryReader, {
-			context: ctx(),
-			props: { geschichte: baseGeschichte(), canBlogWrite: false }
-		});
+		render(StoryReader, { props: { geschichte: baseGeschichte() } });
 
 		await expect.element(page.getByText(/Im Jahr 1923/)).toBeVisible();
 	});
 
 	it('omits persons section when persons array is empty', async () => {
-		render(StoryReader, {
-			context: ctx(),
-			props: { geschichte: baseGeschichte({ persons: [] }), canBlogWrite: false }
-		});
+		render(StoryReader, { props: { geschichte: baseGeschichte({ persons: [] }) } });
 
 		await expect.element(page.getByText(/Personen in dieser Geschichte/i)).not.toBeInTheDocument();
 	});
 
 	it('renders persons section with firstName + lastName joined', async () => {
 		render(StoryReader, {
-			context: ctx(),
 			props: {
 				geschichte: baseGeschichte({
 					persons: [
 						{ id: 'p1', firstName: 'Helene', lastName: 'Schmidt' },
 						{ id: 'p2', firstName: 'Karl', lastName: 'Müller' }
 					]
-				}),
-				canBlogWrite: false
+				})
 			}
 		});
 
@@ -65,79 +54,50 @@ describe('StoryReader', () => {
 	});
 
 	it('omits documents section when no items have documents', async () => {
-		render(StoryReader, {
-			context: ctx(),
-			props: { geschichte: baseGeschichte({ items: [] }), canBlogWrite: false }
-		});
+		render(StoryReader, { props: { geschichte: baseGeschichte({ items: [] }) } });
 
 		await expect.element(page.getByText('Erwähnte Dokumente')).not.toBeInTheDocument();
 	});
 
-	it('renders documents section for items with documents', async () => {
+	it('renders document reference cards with title and link for items with documents', async () => {
 		render(StoryReader, {
-			context: ctx(),
 			props: {
 				geschichte: baseGeschichte({
 					items: [
 						{
 							id: 'i1',
 							position: 0,
-							document: { id: 'd1', title: 'Brief 1', datePrecision: 'FULL' },
+							document: {
+								id: 'd1',
+								title: 'Brief vom 12. Juli 1938',
+								documentDate: '1938-07-12',
+								senderName: 'Franz Raddatz',
+								receiverName: 'Emma Müller',
+								datePrecision: 'DAY',
+								receiverCount: 1
+							} as unknown as NonNullable<components['schemas']['JourneyItemView']['document']>,
 							note: 'Wichtiger Brief'
 						}
 					]
-				}),
-				canBlogWrite: false
+				})
 			}
 		});
 
 		await expect.element(page.getByText('Erwähnte Dokumente')).toBeVisible();
-		await expect.element(page.getByText('Dokument öffnen')).toBeVisible();
+		await expect.element(page.getByText('Brief vom 12. Juli 1938')).toBeVisible();
+		await expect.element(page.getByText(/von Franz Raddatz an Emma Müller/)).toBeVisible();
 		await expect.element(page.getByText('Wichtiger Brief')).toBeVisible();
-	});
 
-	it('shows edit/delete actions when canBlogWrite is true', async () => {
-		render(StoryReader, {
-			context: ctx(),
-			props: { geschichte: baseGeschichte(), canBlogWrite: true }
-		});
-
-		await expect
-			.element(page.getByRole('link', { name: /bearbeiten/i }))
-			.toHaveAttribute('href', '/geschichten/g1/edit');
-		await expect.element(page.getByRole('button', { name: /löschen/i })).toBeVisible();
-	});
-
-	it('hides edit/delete actions when canBlogWrite is false', async () => {
-		render(StoryReader, {
-			context: ctx(),
-			props: { geschichte: baseGeschichte(), canBlogWrite: false }
-		});
-
-		await expect.element(page.getByRole('link', { name: /bearbeiten/i })).not.toBeInTheDocument();
-		await expect.element(page.getByRole('button', { name: /löschen/i })).not.toBeInTheDocument();
-	});
-
-	it('clicking delete button calls ondelete prop', async () => {
-		const ondelete = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
-		render(StoryReader, {
-			context: ctx(),
-			props: { geschichte: baseGeschichte(), canBlogWrite: true, ondelete }
-		});
-
-		await userEvent.click(page.getByRole('button', { name: /löschen/i }));
-
-		expect(ondelete).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+		const link = document.querySelector<HTMLAnchorElement>('a[href="/documents/d1"]');
+		expect(link).not.toBeNull();
 	});
 
 	it('person chip link meets 44px touch-target minimum height', async () => {
 		render(StoryReader, {
-			context: ctx(),
 			props: {
 				geschichte: baseGeschichte({
 					persons: [{ id: 'p1', firstName: 'Helene', lastName: 'Schmidt' }]
-				}),
-				canBlogWrite: false
+				})
 			}
 		});
 
@@ -146,15 +106,26 @@ describe('StoryReader', () => {
 		expect(rect?.height).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(44);
 	});
 
+	it('person chip shows avatar initials', async () => {
+		render(StoryReader, {
+			props: {
+				geschichte: baseGeschichte({
+					persons: [{ id: 'p1', firstName: 'Helene', lastName: 'Schmidt' }]
+				})
+			}
+		});
+
+		const chip = document.querySelector<HTMLAnchorElement>('a[href="/persons/p1"]');
+		expect(chip?.textContent).toContain('HS');
+	});
+
 	it('XSS: Story body is sanitised — injected payload does not execute', async () => {
 		// StoryReader uses {@html safeHtml(g.body)} — DOMPurify must strip the payload.
 		render(StoryReader, {
-			context: ctx(),
 			props: {
 				geschichte: baseGeschichte({
 					body: '<img src=x onerror="(window as any).__xss_story=1">'
-				}),
-				canBlogWrite: false
+				})
 			}
 		});
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/geschichte/utils.ts b/frontend/src/lib/geschichte/utils.ts
index 495a9be5..25b4fa1f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/geschichte/utils.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/geschichte/utils.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import { formatDate } from '$lib/shared/utils/date';
+import { m } from '$lib/paraglide/messages.js';
 
 type AuthorSummary = { firstName?: string; lastName?: string };
+type DocumentMeta = { documentDate?: string; senderName?: string; receiverName?: string };
 type AuthorView = { displayName: string };
 
 export function formatAuthorName(author: AuthorSummary | null | undefined): string {
@@ -21,3 +23,15 @@ export function formatPublishedAt(
 	if (!publishedAt) return null;
 	return formatDate(publishedAt.slice(0, 10), style);
 }
+
+/** "12.07.1938 · von Franz an Emma" — shared by JourneyItemCard and the story doc-reference cards. */
+export function formatDocumentMetaLine(doc: DocumentMeta): string {
+	const parts: string[] = [];
+	if (doc.documentDate) parts.push(formatDate(doc.documentDate, 'short'));
+	if (doc.senderName && doc.receiverName) {
+		parts.push(m.journey_item_meta_from_to({ sender: doc.senderName, receiver: doc.receiverName }));
+	} else if (doc.senderName) {
+		parts.push(doc.senderName);
+	}
+	return parts.join(' · ');
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/geschichten/[id]/+page.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/geschichten/[id]/+page.svelte
index 1c063abc..4152d19b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/geschichten/[id]/+page.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/geschichten/[id]/+page.svelte
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { goto } from '$app/navigation';
 import { m } from '$lib/paraglide/messages.js';
 import { formatDate } from '$lib/shared/utils/date';
 import { formatAuthorDisplayName } from '$lib/geschichte/utils';
+import { getInitials, personAvatarColor } from '$lib/person/personFormat';
 import { getConfirmService } from '$lib/shared/services/confirm.svelte';
 import { csrfFetch } from '$lib/shared/cookies';
 import { parseBackendError, getErrorMessage } from '$lib/shared/errors';
@@ -61,15 +62,34 @@ async function handleDelete() {
 					{m.journey_badge_detail()}
 				</span>
 			{/if}
-			<h1 id="geschichte-title" class="mb-4 font-serif text-3xl leading-tight font-bold text-ink">
+			<h1 id="geschichte-title" class="mb-4 font-serif text-3xl leading-tight text-ink">
 				{g.title}
 			</h1>
-			<div class="border-subtle mb-4 flex items-center gap-3 border-b pb-4">
-				<p class="font-sans text-sm text-ink-3">
-					{authorName}
-					{#if publishedAt}· {m.geschichten_published_on({ date: publishedAt })}{/if}
-				</p>
-				{#if isJourney && data.canBlogWrite}
+			<div class="mb-4 flex items-center gap-3 border-b border-line-2 pb-4">
+				{#if authorName}
+					<span
+						aria-hidden="true"
+						class="flex h-8 w-8 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full font-sans text-xs font-bold text-white"
+						style="background-color: {personAvatarColor(g.author?.id ?? authorName)}"
+					>
+						{getInitials(authorName)}
+					</span>
+				{/if}
+				<div>
+					{#if authorName}
+						<p class="font-sans text-sm leading-tight font-semibold text-ink">{authorName}</p>
+					{/if}
+					{#if publishedAt}
+						<p class="font-sans text-xs text-ink-3">
+							{#if isJourney}
+								{m.journey_compiled_on({ date: publishedAt })}
+							{:else}
+								{m.geschichten_published_on({ date: publishedAt })}
+							{/if}
+						</p>
+					{/if}
+				</div>
+				{#if data.canBlogWrite}
 					<div class="ml-auto flex items-center gap-3">
 						<a
 							href="/geschichten/{g.id}/edit"
@@ -101,7 +121,7 @@ async function handleDelete() {
 		{#if isJourney}
 			<JourneyReader geschichte={g} />
 		{:else}
-			<StoryReader geschichte={g} canBlogWrite={data.canBlogWrite} ondelete={handleDelete} />
+			<StoryReader geschichte={g} />
 		{/if}
 	</article>
 </div>
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/geschichten/[id]/page.svelte.test.ts b/frontend/src/routes/geschichten/[id]/page.svelte.test.ts
index 88386c85..ac5d15d0 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/geschichten/[id]/page.svelte.test.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/geschichten/[id]/page.svelte.test.ts
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ const baseGeschichte = (overrides: Partial<GeschichteView> = {}): GeschichteView
 });
 
 const baseData = (overrides: Record<string, unknown> = {}) => ({
+	user: undefined,
+	canWrite: false,
+	canAnnotate: false,
 	geschichte: baseGeschichte(),
 	canBlogWrite: false,
 	...overrides
@@ -176,8 +179,28 @@ describe('geschichten/[id] page', () => {
 		});
 
 		await expect.element(page.getByText('Erwähnte Dokumente')).toBeVisible();
-		await expect.element(page.getByText('Dokument öffnen')).toBeVisible();
+		await expect.element(page.getByText('Brief 1923')).toBeVisible();
 		await expect.element(page.getByText('Brief aus 1923')).toBeVisible();
+		expect(document.querySelector('a[href="/documents/d1"]')).not.toBeNull();
+	});
+
+	it('JOURNEY shows "zusammengestellt am" instead of "veröffentlicht am"', async () => {
+		render(GeschichtePage, {
+			context: new Map([[CONFIRM_KEY, createConfirmService()]]),
+			props: { data: baseData({ geschichte: baseGeschichte({ type: 'JOURNEY' }) }) }
+		});
+
+		await expect.element(page.getByText(/zusammengestellt am/i)).toBeVisible();
+		await expect.element(page.getByText(/veröffentlicht am/i)).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+	});
+
+	it('renders the author avatar initials in the meta bar', async () => {
+		render(GeschichtePage, {
+			context: new Map([[CONFIRM_KEY, createConfirmService()]]),
+			props: { data: baseData() }
+		});
+
+		await expect.element(page.getByText('AS', { exact: true })).toBeInTheDocument();
 	});
 
 	it('renders edit and delete actions when canBlogWrite is true', async () => {