diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/person/PersonService.java b/backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/person/PersonService.java
index 175ab529..2dcdf777 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/person/PersonService.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/person/PersonService.java
@@ -177,6 +177,7 @@ public class PersonService {
                 .notes(blankToNull(cmd.notes()))
                 .birthYear(cmd.birthYear())
                 .deathYear(cmd.deathYear())
+                .generation(cmd.generation())
                 .familyMember(cmd.familyMember())
                 .personType(cmd.personType() == null ? PersonType.PERSON : cmd.personType())
                 .provisional(cmd.provisional())
@@ -200,6 +201,7 @@ public class PersonService {
         existing.setNotes(preferHuman(existing.getNotes(), cmd.notes()));
         existing.setBirthYear(preferHuman(existing.getBirthYear(), cmd.birthYear()));
         existing.setDeathYear(preferHuman(existing.getDeathYear(), cmd.deathYear()));
+        existing.setGeneration(preferHuman(existing.getGeneration(), cmd.generation()));
         if (cmd.personType() != null && existing.getPersonType() == PersonType.PERSON) {
             existing.setPersonType(cmd.personType());
         }
@@ -254,6 +256,7 @@ public class PersonService {
                 .notes(dto.getNotes() == null || dto.getNotes().isBlank() ? null : dto.getNotes().trim())
                 .birthYear(dto.getBirthYear())
                 .deathYear(dto.getDeathYear())
+                .generation(dto.getGeneration())
                 .build();
         return personRepository.save(person);
     }
@@ -286,6 +289,9 @@ public class PersonService {
         person.setNotes(dto.getNotes() == null || dto.getNotes().isBlank() ? null : dto.getNotes().trim());
         person.setBirthYear(dto.getBirthYear());
         person.setDeathYear(dto.getDeathYear());
+        // Form path: a human can clear generation back to null. Unlike the importer
+        // which routes through preferHuman, we write the DTO value verbatim.
+        person.setGeneration(dto.getGeneration());
         return personRepository.save(person);
     }
 
diff --git a/backend/src/test/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/person/PersonImportUpsertTest.java b/backend/src/test/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/person/PersonImportUpsertTest.java
index c8b81b2b..9b778292 100644
--- a/backend/src/test/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/person/PersonImportUpsertTest.java
+++ b/backend/src/test/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/person/PersonImportUpsertTest.java
@@ -148,4 +148,55 @@ class PersonImportUpsertTest {
 
         assertThat(result.isProvisional()).isTrue();
     }
+
+    // ─── generation (#689) ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    @Test
+    void upsertBySourceRef_writesGeneration_onFirstImport() {
+        when(personRepository.findBySourceRef("herbert-cram")).thenReturn(Optional.empty());
+        when(personRepository.save(any())).thenAnswer(inv -> inv.getArgument(0));
+
+        PersonUpsertCommand cmd = PersonUpsertCommand.builder()
+                .sourceRef("herbert-cram").firstName("Herbert").lastName("Cram")
+                .generation(3).personType(PersonType.PERSON).provisional(false).build();
+
+        Person result = personService.upsertBySourceRef(cmd);
+
+        assertThat(result.getGeneration()).isEqualTo(3);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void upsertBySourceRef_preservesHumanEditedGeneration_onReimport() {
+        Person humanEdited = Person.builder()
+                .id(UUID.randomUUID()).sourceRef("herbert-cram")
+                .firstName("Herbert").lastName("Cram").generation(4).build();
+        when(personRepository.findBySourceRef("herbert-cram")).thenReturn(Optional.of(humanEdited));
+        when(personRepository.save(any())).thenAnswer(inv -> inv.getArgument(0));
+
+        PersonUpsertCommand cmd = PersonUpsertCommand.builder()
+                .sourceRef("herbert-cram").firstName("Herbert").lastName("Cram")
+                .generation(2).personType(PersonType.PERSON).provisional(false).build();
+
+        Person result = personService.upsertBySourceRef(cmd);
+
+        assertThat(result.getGeneration()).isEqualTo(4);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void mergeCanonical_overwrites_human_null_with_canonical_value_documenting_known_limitation() {
+        // If preferHuman gains explicit-null-vs-unset semantics, delete this test (see issue #689).
+        Person existing = Person.builder()
+                .id(UUID.randomUUID()).sourceRef("herbert-cram")
+                .firstName("Herbert").lastName("Cram").generation(null).build();
+        when(personRepository.findBySourceRef("herbert-cram")).thenReturn(Optional.of(existing));
+        when(personRepository.save(any())).thenAnswer(inv -> inv.getArgument(0));
+
+        PersonUpsertCommand cmd = PersonUpsertCommand.builder()
+                .sourceRef("herbert-cram").firstName("Herbert").lastName("Cram")
+                .generation(3).personType(PersonType.PERSON).provisional(false).build();
+
+        Person result = personService.upsertBySourceRef(cmd);
+
+        assertThat(result.getGeneration()).isEqualTo(3);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/backend/src/test/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/person/PersonServiceTest.java b/backend/src/test/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/person/PersonServiceTest.java
index 4c8de65c..a42a3051 100644
--- a/backend/src/test/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/person/PersonServiceTest.java
+++ b/backend/src/test/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/person/PersonServiceTest.java
@@ -261,6 +261,54 @@ class PersonServiceTest {
                 .isEqualTo(400);
     }
 
+    @Test
+    void createPerson_dto_persistsGeneration() {
+        when(personRepository.save(any())).thenAnswer(inv -> inv.getArgument(0));
+
+        PersonUpdateDTO dto = new PersonUpdateDTO();
+        dto.setFirstName("Hans"); dto.setLastName("Raddatz");
+        dto.setPersonType(PersonType.PERSON); dto.setGeneration(3);
+
+        Person result = personService.createPerson(dto);
+
+        assertThat(result.getGeneration()).isEqualTo(3);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void updatePerson_writesGeneration_includingExplicitNullClear() {
+        // The form path is the only place a human can clear generation back to null.
+        UUID id = UUID.randomUUID();
+        Person existing = Person.builder().id(id).firstName("Hans").lastName("Raddatz")
+                .personType(PersonType.PERSON).generation(3).build();
+        when(personRepository.findById(id)).thenReturn(Optional.of(existing));
+        when(personRepository.save(any())).thenAnswer(inv -> inv.getArgument(0));
+
+        PersonUpdateDTO dto = new PersonUpdateDTO();
+        dto.setFirstName("Hans"); dto.setLastName("Raddatz");
+        dto.setPersonType(PersonType.PERSON); dto.setGeneration(null);
+
+        Person result = personService.updatePerson(id, dto);
+
+        assertThat(result.getGeneration()).isNull();
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void updatePerson_writesGeneration_whenSet() {
+        UUID id = UUID.randomUUID();
+        Person existing = Person.builder().id(id).firstName("Hans").lastName("Raddatz")
+                .personType(PersonType.PERSON).build();
+        when(personRepository.findById(id)).thenReturn(Optional.of(existing));
+        when(personRepository.save(any())).thenAnswer(inv -> inv.getArgument(0));
+
+        PersonUpdateDTO dto = new PersonUpdateDTO();
+        dto.setFirstName("Hans"); dto.setLastName("Raddatz");
+        dto.setPersonType(PersonType.PERSON); dto.setGeneration(2);
+
+        Person result = personService.updatePerson(id, dto);
+
+        assertThat(result.getGeneration()).isEqualTo(2);
+    }
+
     // ─── updatePerson (personType) ───────────────────────────────────────────
 
     @Test