diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionReadView.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionReadView.svelte
index f1586e6c..80829678 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionReadView.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionReadView.svelte
@@ -1,6 +1,16 @@
 <script lang="ts">
 import type { TranscriptionBlockData } from '$lib/types';
+import type { components } from '$lib/generated/api';
 import { splitByMarkers } from '$lib/utils/transcriptionMarkers';
+import { renderTranscriptionBody } from '$lib/utils/mention';
+import PersonHoverCard, { type LoadState } from './PersonHoverCard.svelte';
+import { goto } from '$app/navigation';
+import { SvelteMap, SvelteSet } from 'svelte/reactivity';
+
+type Person = components['schemas']['Person'];
+type RelationshipDTO = components['schemas']['RelationshipDTO'];
+
+type HoverData = { person: Person; relationships: RelationshipDTO[] };
 
 interface Props {
 	blocks: TranscriptionBlockData[];
@@ -11,9 +21,172 @@ interface Props {
 let { blocks, onParagraphClick, highlightBlockId = null }: Props = $props();
 
 let sorted = $derived([...blocks].sort((a, b) => a.sortOrder - b.sortOrder));
+
+// Per-page in-memory cache: a sweep across 20 mentions of the same person
+// must not fire 20 backend calls (B15.5). The Promise<HoverData | null> shape
+// lets simultaneous hovers share the same in-flight fetch.
+const hoverCache = new SvelteMap<string, Promise<HoverData | null>>();
+const deletedPersonIds = new SvelteSet<string>();
+
+let activeCard: {
+	personId: string;
+	cardId: string;
+	state: LoadState;
+	position: { top: number; left: number };
+} | null = $state(null);
+
+const CARD_WIDTH = 320;
+const CARD_HEIGHT = 180;
+const CARD_GAP = 6;
+
+// Compose splitByMarkers with renderTranscriptionBody. Markers are pre-rendered
+// as <em data-marker> tags; text segments run through HTML-escaping + mention
+// substitution. The two are concatenated to preserve marker boundaries — markers
+// never end up nested inside an anchor (Felix #5324 B19b).
+function renderBlockHtml(block: TranscriptionBlockData): string {
+	return splitByMarkers(block.text)
+		.map((segment) => {
+			if (segment.type === 'marker') {
+				return `<em data-marker class="text-ink-2 italic">${segment.text}</em>`;
+			}
+			return renderTranscriptionBody(segment.text, block.mentionedPersons ?? []);
+		})
+		.join('');
+}
+
+function fetchHoverData(personId: string): Promise<HoverData | null> {
+	let cached = hoverCache.get(personId);
+	if (cached) return cached;
+
+	cached = (async () => {
+		const personRes = await fetch(`/api/persons/${personId}`);
+		if (personRes.status === 404) return null;
+		if (!personRes.ok) throw new Error(`person fetch failed: ${personRes.status}`);
+		const person = (await personRes.json()) as Person;
+
+		const relRes = await fetch(`/api/persons/${personId}/relationships`);
+		const relationships: RelationshipDTO[] = relRes.ok
+			? ((await relRes.json()) as RelationshipDTO[])
+			: [];
+		return { person, relationships };
+	})();
+
+	hoverCache.set(personId, cached);
+	return cached;
+}
+
+function computeCardPosition(rect: DOMRect): { top: number; left: number } {
+	const vw = window.innerWidth;
+	const vh = window.innerHeight;
+
+	let top = rect.bottom + CARD_GAP;
+	let left = rect.left;
+
+	// Flip up if the card would overflow the bottom edge OR the mention sits in
+	// the bottom 30% of the viewport (Leonie #5329).
+	if (vh - rect.bottom < CARD_HEIGHT + CARD_GAP || rect.top > vh * 0.7) {
+		top = rect.top - CARD_HEIGHT - CARD_GAP;
+	}
+
+	// Flip left if <300px from the right edge.
+	if (vw - rect.left < 300) {
+		left = rect.right - CARD_WIDTH;
+	}
+
+	return {
+		top: Math.max(0, top + window.scrollY),
+		left: Math.max(0, left + window.scrollX)
+	};
+}
+
+async function handleMentionEnter(event: Event) {
+	const link = event.target as HTMLAnchorElement;
+	const personId = link.dataset.personId;
+	if (!personId) return;
+	if (deletedPersonIds.has(personId)) return;
+
+	const cardId = `person-hover-card-${personId}`;
+	link.setAttribute('aria-describedby', cardId);
+
+	const rect = link.getBoundingClientRect();
+	const position = computeCardPosition(rect);
+
+	activeCard = { personId, cardId, position, state: { status: 'loading' } };
+
+	try {
+		const data = await fetchHoverData(personId);
+		// Bail if a different mention is now active
+		if (!activeCard || activeCard.personId !== personId) return;
+
+		if (data === null) {
+			deletedPersonIds.add(personId);
+			link.setAttribute('data-person-deleted', 'true');
+			activeCard = null;
+			return;
+		}
+
+		activeCard = {
+			personId,
+			cardId,
+			position,
+			state: { status: 'loaded', person: data.person, relationships: data.relationships }
+		};
+	} catch {
+		if (!activeCard || activeCard.personId !== personId) return;
+		activeCard = { personId, cardId, position, state: { status: 'error' } };
+	}
+}
+
+function handleMentionLeave(event: Event) {
+	const link = event.target as HTMLAnchorElement;
+	link.removeAttribute('aria-describedby');
+	activeCard = null;
+}
+
+async function handleMentionClick(event: MouseEvent) {
+	const link = event.target as HTMLAnchorElement;
+	const personId = link.dataset.personId;
+	if (!personId) return;
+	if (deletedPersonIds.has(personId)) {
+		event.preventDefault();
+		return;
+	}
+	event.preventDefault();
+	await goto(`/persons/${personId}`);
+}
+
+// Attach delegated event listeners on each rendered block. Using {@html ...}
+// for the body means we cannot bind events declaratively to the injected
+// anchors, so we hook up listeners via a Svelte action when the wrapper mounts.
+function attachMentionHandlers(node: HTMLElement) {
+	function onEnter(e: Event) {
+		const t = e.target as HTMLElement;
+		if (t.matches?.('a.person-mention')) handleMentionEnter(e);
+	}
+	function onLeave(e: Event) {
+		const t = e.target as HTMLElement;
+		if (t.matches?.('a.person-mention')) handleMentionLeave(e);
+	}
+	function onClick(e: MouseEvent) {
+		const t = e.target as HTMLElement;
+		if (t.matches?.('a.person-mention')) handleMentionClick(e);
+	}
+	// mouseenter does not bubble — capture it.
+	node.addEventListener('mouseenter', onEnter, true);
+	node.addEventListener('mouseleave', onLeave, true);
+	node.addEventListener('click', onClick);
+
+	return {
+		destroy() {
+			node.removeEventListener('mouseenter', onEnter, true);
+			node.removeEventListener('mouseleave', onLeave, true);
+			node.removeEventListener('click', onClick);
+		}
+	};
+}
 </script>
 
-<article class="px-6 py-8">
+<article class="px-6 py-8" use:attachMentionHandlers>
 	{#each sorted as block (block.id)}
 		<div
 			class="-mx-2 mb-6 cursor-pointer rounded-sm px-2 py-1 font-serif text-[16px] leading-[1.85] text-ink transition-colors hover:bg-turquoise/10"
@@ -22,19 +195,25 @@ let sorted = $derived([...blocks].sort((a, b) => a.sortOrder - b.sortOrder));
 			onclick={() => onParagraphClick(block.annotationId)}
 			role="button"
 			tabindex="0"
-			onkeydown={(e) => { if (e.key === 'Enter' || e.key === ' ') onParagraphClick(block.annotationId); }}
+			onkeydown={(e) => {
+				if (e.key === 'Enter' || e.key === ' ') onParagraphClick(block.annotationId);
+			}}
 		>
-			{#each splitByMarkers(block.text) as segment, i (i)}
-				{#if segment.type === 'marker'}
-					<em data-marker class="text-ink-2 italic">{segment.text}</em>
-				{:else}
-					{segment.text}
-				{/if}
-			{/each}
+			<!-- eslint-disable-next-line svelte/no-at-html-tags -- renderTranscriptionBody escapes all HTML before injecting mention links; mirrors CommentMessage.svelte -->
+			{@html renderBlockHtml(block)}
 		</div>
 	{/each}
 </article>
 
+{#if activeCard}
+	<PersonHoverCard
+		personId={activeCard.personId}
+		cardId={activeCard.cardId}
+		position={activeCard.position}
+		state={activeCard.state}
+	/>
+{/if}
+
 <style>
 @keyframes flash {
 	0% {
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionReadView.svelte.test.ts b/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionReadView.svelte.test.ts
index f49287cc..9d938d14 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionReadView.svelte.test.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/TranscriptionReadView.svelte.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-import { describe, it, expect, vi } from 'vitest';
-import { render } from 'vitest-browser-svelte';
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach, afterEach } from 'vitest';
+import { cleanup, render } from 'vitest-browser-svelte';
 import { page } from 'vitest/browser';
 import TranscriptionReadView from './TranscriptionReadView.svelte';
 import type { TranscriptionBlockData } from '$lib/types';
@@ -152,3 +152,241 @@ describe('TranscriptionReadView', () => {
 		expect(paragraphs.length).toBe(0);
 	});
 });
+
+describe('TranscriptionReadView — person-mention rendering', () => {
+	const PERSON_ID = '550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000';
+
+	const mentionBlock: TranscriptionBlockData = {
+		id: 'b1',
+		annotationId: 'ann-1',
+		documentId: 'doc-1',
+		text: 'Brief an @Auguste Raddatz vom Mai',
+		label: null,
+		sortOrder: 1,
+		version: 1,
+		source: 'MANUAL',
+		reviewed: false,
+		mentionedPersons: [{ personId: PERSON_ID, displayName: 'Auguste Raddatz' }]
+	};
+
+	beforeEach(() => {
+		// Default: any /api/persons/{id} call returns 404 unless a test overrides it.
+		// Tests that need loaded data stub fetch themselves.
+		vi.stubGlobal('fetch', vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ status: 404, ok: false, json: vi.fn() }));
+	});
+
+	afterEach(() => {
+		vi.unstubAllGlobals();
+		cleanup();
+	});
+
+	it('renders a person mention as an anchor link with the person URL', async () => {
+		render(TranscriptionReadView, {
+			blocks: [mentionBlock],
+			onParagraphClick: () => {}
+		});
+
+		const link = document.querySelector(`a.person-mention[data-person-id="${PERSON_ID}"]`)!;
+		expect(link).not.toBeNull();
+		expect(link.getAttribute('href')).toBe(`/persons/${PERSON_ID}`);
+		expect(link.textContent).toBe('Auguste Raddatz');
+	});
+
+	it('strips the @ trigger from the rendered link text (read mode)', async () => {
+		render(TranscriptionReadView, {
+			blocks: [mentionBlock],
+			onParagraphClick: () => {}
+		});
+
+		const block = document.querySelector('[data-block-id="b1"]')!;
+		expect(block.textContent).not.toContain('@Auguste Raddatz');
+		expect(block.textContent).toContain('Auguste Raddatz');
+	});
+
+	it('renders mention link AND [unleserlich] marker correctly when both occur in the same block (B19b)', async () => {
+		const block: TranscriptionBlockData = {
+			...mentionBlock,
+			text: 'Hallo @Auguste Raddatz [unleserlich] Marie'
+		};
+		render(TranscriptionReadView, {
+			blocks: [block],
+			onParagraphClick: () => {}
+		});
+
+		// Mention rendered as an anchor
+		const link = document.querySelector('a.person-mention')!;
+		expect(link).not.toBeNull();
+		expect(link.textContent).toBe('Auguste Raddatz');
+
+		// Marker rendered as <em data-marker>
+		const marker = document.querySelector('[data-marker]')!;
+		expect(marker).not.toBeNull();
+		expect(marker.textContent).toBe('[unleserlich]');
+
+		// Marker text is NOT inside the anchor — they are siblings, not nested
+		expect(link.contains(marker)).toBe(false);
+
+		// No double-escape — text content reads cleanly
+		const blockEl = document.querySelector('[data-block-id="b1"]')!;
+		expect(blockEl.textContent).not.toContain('&amp;');
+		expect(blockEl.textContent).not.toContain('&lt;');
+	});
+
+	it('does not render mention link for plain text without the @ trigger', async () => {
+		const plain: TranscriptionBlockData = {
+			...mentionBlock,
+			text: 'Auguste Raddatz war hier',
+			mentionedPersons: [{ personId: PERSON_ID, displayName: 'Auguste Raddatz' }]
+		};
+		render(TranscriptionReadView, {
+			blocks: [plain],
+			onParagraphClick: () => {}
+		});
+
+		const link = document.querySelector('a.person-mention');
+		expect(link).toBeNull();
+	});
+
+	it('escapes HTML in the block text — no stored XSS via raw text', async () => {
+		const xss: TranscriptionBlockData = {
+			...mentionBlock,
+			text: '<img src=x onerror=alert(1)>',
+			mentionedPersons: []
+		};
+		render(TranscriptionReadView, {
+			blocks: [xss],
+			onParagraphClick: () => {}
+		});
+
+		// No raw <img> tag in DOM
+		expect(document.querySelector('[data-block-id="b1"] img')).toBeNull();
+		// The escaped text is visible
+		const block = document.querySelector('[data-block-id="b1"]')!;
+		expect(block.textContent).toContain('<img src=x onerror=alert(1)>');
+	});
+
+	it('triggers fetch for the person on mention mouseenter (B15.5 cache, single call)', async () => {
+		const fetchMock = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({
+			status: 404,
+			ok: false,
+			json: vi.fn()
+		});
+		vi.stubGlobal('fetch', fetchMock);
+
+		render(TranscriptionReadView, {
+			blocks: [mentionBlock],
+			onParagraphClick: () => {}
+		});
+
+		const link = document.querySelector('a.person-mention')!;
+		link.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent('mouseenter', { bubbles: true }));
+		await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 10));
+
+		const personFetches = fetchMock.mock.calls.filter((c) =>
+			String(c[0]).includes(`/api/persons/${PERSON_ID}`)
+		);
+		expect(personFetches.length).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(1);
+	});
+
+	it('deduplicates fetches for the same personId across multiple mouseenter events (B15.5)', async () => {
+		const fetchMock = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({
+			status: 404,
+			ok: false,
+			json: vi.fn()
+		});
+		vi.stubGlobal('fetch', fetchMock);
+
+		// Two blocks both mention the same person
+		const block2: TranscriptionBlockData = { ...mentionBlock, id: 'b2', annotationId: 'ann-2' };
+		render(TranscriptionReadView, {
+			blocks: [mentionBlock, block2],
+			onParagraphClick: () => {}
+		});
+
+		const links = document.querySelectorAll('a.person-mention');
+		links.forEach((link) => link.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent('mouseenter', { bubbles: true })));
+		// Plus a re-hover on the first
+		links[0].dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent('mouseenter', { bubbles: true }));
+
+		await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 10));
+
+		const personFetches = fetchMock.mock.calls.filter(
+			(c) => String(c[0]) === `/api/persons/${PERSON_ID}`
+		);
+		expect(personFetches.length).toBe(1);
+	});
+
+	it('mounts the hover card on mouseenter when the fetch loads', async () => {
+		vi.stubGlobal(
+			'fetch',
+			vi.fn().mockImplementation((url: string) => {
+				if (url.endsWith('/relationships')) {
+					return Promise.resolve({ status: 200, ok: true, json: () => Promise.resolve([]) });
+				}
+				return Promise.resolve({
+					status: 200,
+					ok: true,
+					json: () =>
+						Promise.resolve({
+							id: PERSON_ID,
+							firstName: 'Auguste',
+							lastName: 'Raddatz',
+							displayName: 'Auguste Raddatz',
+							personType: 'PERSON',
+							familyMember: true,
+							birthYear: 1882,
+							deathYear: 1944
+						})
+				});
+			})
+		);
+
+		render(TranscriptionReadView, {
+			blocks: [mentionBlock],
+			onParagraphClick: () => {}
+		});
+
+		const link = document.querySelector('a.person-mention')!;
+		link.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent('mouseenter', { bubbles: true }));
+
+		await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 50));
+		const card = document.querySelector('[data-testid="person-hover-card"]');
+		expect(card).not.toBeNull();
+	});
+
+	it('unmounts the hover card on mouseleave', async () => {
+		render(TranscriptionReadView, {
+			blocks: [mentionBlock],
+			onParagraphClick: () => {}
+		});
+
+		const link = document.querySelector('a.person-mention')!;
+		link.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent('mouseenter', { bubbles: true }));
+		await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 5));
+		link.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent('mouseleave', { bubbles: true }));
+		await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 5));
+
+		const card = document.querySelector('[data-testid="person-hover-card"]');
+		expect(card).toBeNull();
+	});
+
+	it('degrades to plain unlinked text when the person fetch returns 404', async () => {
+		vi.stubGlobal('fetch', vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ status: 404, ok: false, json: vi.fn() }));
+
+		render(TranscriptionReadView, {
+			blocks: [mentionBlock],
+			onParagraphClick: () => {}
+		});
+
+		const link = document.querySelector('a.person-mention')!;
+		link.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent('mouseenter', { bubbles: true }));
+		await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 50));
+
+		// 404 → no card mounted
+		const card = document.querySelector('[data-testid="person-hover-card"]');
+		expect(card).toBeNull();
+		// Anchor is marked as deleted so subsequent hovers/clicks treat it as plain text
+		const stillLink = document.querySelector('a.person-mention')!;
+		expect(stillLink.getAttribute('data-person-deleted')).toBe('true');
+	});
+});