diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/timeline/LetterCard.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/timeline/LetterCard.svelte
index 4f44a6b4..593156fc 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/timeline/LetterCard.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/timeline/LetterCard.svelte
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 import * as m from '$lib/paraglide/messages.js';
 import { timelineDateLabel } from './dateLabel';
 import GlyphLabel from './GlyphLabel.svelte';
+import TagChip from './TagChip.svelte';
 import type { components } from '$lib/generated/api';
 
 type TimelineEntryDTO = components['schemas']['TimelineEntryDTO'];
@@ -46,4 +47,9 @@ const receiver = $derived(
 			<span data-testid="letter-date"> · {dateLabel}</span>
 		{/if}
 	</span>
+	{#if entry.rootTagName}
+		<!-- The primary root-tag chip sits on its own line beneath the meta line
+		     (#835 §3); absent when the letter has no tag (REQ-005). -->
+		<TagChip name={entry.rootTagName} color={entry.rootTagColor ?? null} />
+	{/if}
 </a>
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/timeline/LetterCard.svelte.spec.ts b/frontend/src/lib/timeline/LetterCard.svelte.spec.ts
index f9c928bc..b60c0f5f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/timeline/LetterCard.svelte.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/timeline/LetterCard.svelte.spec.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 import { describe, it, expect, afterEach } from 'vitest';
 import { cleanup, render } from 'vitest-browser-svelte';
+import { tick } from 'svelte';
 import * as m from '$lib/paraglide/messages.js';
 import LetterCard from './LetterCard.svelte';
+import YearLetterStrip from './YearLetterStrip.svelte';
 import { timelineDateLabel } from './dateLabel';
 import { makeEntry } from './test-factories';
 
@@ -86,4 +88,42 @@ describe('LetterCard', () => {
 		expect(document.body.textContent).toContain(evil);
 		expect(document.querySelector('a script')).toBeNull();
 	});
+
+	it('renders one root-tag chip beneath the meta line when rootTagName is present (REQ-008)', () => {
+		render(LetterCard, { entry: makeEntry({ rootTagName: 'Familie', rootTagColor: 'sage' }) });
+		const chips = document.querySelectorAll('[data-testid="tag-chip"]');
+		expect(chips).toHaveLength(1);
+		expect(chips[0].textContent).toContain('Familie');
+	});
+
+	it('renders no chip when the letter has no root tag (REQ-005/006)', () => {
+		render(LetterCard, { entry: makeEntry({ rootTagName: undefined, rootTagColor: undefined }) });
+		expect(document.querySelector('[data-testid="tag-chip"]')).toBeNull();
+	});
+
+	it('keeps a long tag name from overflowing the card at 320px, full name in the title (REQ-008a)', () => {
+		document.body.style.width = '320px';
+		render(LetterCard, {
+			entry: makeEntry({
+				rootTagName: 'Briefe von der Front und aus der Heimat',
+				rootTagColor: 'sienna'
+			})
+		});
+		const link = document.querySelector('a') as HTMLAnchorElement;
+		expect(link.scrollWidth).toBeLessThanOrEqual(link.clientWidth);
+		const chip = document.querySelector('[data-testid="tag-chip"]') as HTMLElement;
+		expect(chip.getAttribute('title')).toBe('Briefe von der Front und aus der Heimat');
+		document.body.style.width = '';
+	});
+
+	it('renders the chip inside an expanded YearLetterStrip too (REQ-012)', async () => {
+		render(YearLetterStrip, {
+			letters: [makeEntry({ rootTagName: 'Familie', rootTagColor: 'sage', documentId: 'doc-1' })],
+			year: 1909
+		});
+		(document.querySelector('[data-testid="strip-expand"]') as HTMLButtonElement).click();
+		await tick();
+		const chip = document.querySelector('[data-testid="tag-chip"]');
+		expect(chip?.textContent).toContain('Familie');
+	});
 });