diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/controller/PersonController.java b/backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/controller/PersonController.java
index 6210f529..de2b7498 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/controller/PersonController.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/controller/PersonController.java
@@ -63,11 +63,8 @@ public class PersonController {
     @PostMapping
     @RequirePermission(Permission.WRITE_ALL)
     public ResponseEntity<Person> createPerson(@Valid @RequestBody PersonUpdateDTO dto) {
-        if (dto.getFirstName() == null || dto.getFirstName().isBlank()
-                || dto.getLastName() == null || dto.getLastName().isBlank()) {
-            throw new ResponseStatusException(HttpStatus.BAD_REQUEST, "Vor- und Nachname sind Pflichtfelder");
-        }
-        dto.setFirstName(dto.getFirstName().trim());
+        validatePersonNames(dto);
+        if (dto.getFirstName() != null) dto.setFirstName(dto.getFirstName().trim());
         dto.setLastName(dto.getLastName().trim());
         return ResponseEntity.ok(personService.createPerson(dto));
     }
@@ -75,15 +72,22 @@ public class PersonController {
     @PutMapping("/{id}")
     @RequirePermission(Permission.WRITE_ALL)
     public ResponseEntity<Person> updatePerson(@PathVariable UUID id, @Valid @RequestBody PersonUpdateDTO dto) {
-        if (dto.getFirstName() == null || dto.getFirstName().isBlank()
-                || dto.getLastName() == null || dto.getLastName().isBlank()) {
-            throw new ResponseStatusException(HttpStatus.BAD_REQUEST, "Vor- und Nachname sind Pflichtfelder");
-        }
-        dto.setFirstName(dto.getFirstName().trim());
+        validatePersonNames(dto);
+        if (dto.getFirstName() != null) dto.setFirstName(dto.getFirstName().trim());
         dto.setLastName(dto.getLastName().trim());
         return ResponseEntity.ok(personService.updatePerson(id, dto));
     }
 
+    private void validatePersonNames(PersonUpdateDTO dto) {
+        if (dto.getLastName() == null || dto.getLastName().isBlank()) {
+            throw new ResponseStatusException(HttpStatus.BAD_REQUEST, "Nachname ist Pflichtfeld");
+        }
+        if (dto.getPersonType() == org.raddatz.familienarchiv.model.PersonType.PERSON
+                && (dto.getFirstName() == null || dto.getFirstName().isBlank())) {
+            throw new ResponseStatusException(HttpStatus.BAD_REQUEST, "Vorname ist Pflichtfeld");
+        }
+    }
+
     @PostMapping("/{id}/merge")
     @ResponseStatus(HttpStatus.NO_CONTENT)
     @RequirePermission(Permission.WRITE_ALL)
diff --git a/backend/src/test/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/controller/PersonControllerTest.java b/backend/src/test/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/controller/PersonControllerTest.java
index 02973927..34a92dbf 100644
--- a/backend/src/test/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/controller/PersonControllerTest.java
+++ b/backend/src/test/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/controller/PersonControllerTest.java
@@ -183,19 +183,19 @@ class PersonControllerTest {
 
     @Test
     @WithMockUser(authorities = "WRITE_ALL")
-    void createPerson_returns400_whenFirstNameIsMissing() throws Exception {
+    void createPerson_returns400_whenPersonTypeIsPerson_andFirstNameIsMissing() throws Exception {
         mockMvc.perform(post("/api/persons")
                         .contentType(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON)
-                        .content("{\"lastName\":\"Müller\"}"))
+                        .content("{\"lastName\":\"Müller\",\"personType\":\"PERSON\"}"))
                 .andExpect(status().isBadRequest());
     }
 
     @Test
     @WithMockUser(authorities = "WRITE_ALL")
-    void createPerson_returns400_whenFirstNameIsBlank() throws Exception {
+    void createPerson_returns400_whenPersonTypeIsPerson_andFirstNameIsBlank() throws Exception {
         mockMvc.perform(post("/api/persons")
                         .contentType(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON)
-                        .content("{\"firstName\":\"  \",\"lastName\":\"Müller\"}"))
+                        .content("{\"firstName\":\"  \",\"lastName\":\"Müller\",\"personType\":\"PERSON\"}"))
                 .andExpect(status().isBadRequest());
     }
 
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ class PersonControllerTest {
     void createPerson_returns400_whenLastNameIsMissing() throws Exception {
         mockMvc.perform(post("/api/persons")
                         .contentType(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON)
-                        .content("{\"firstName\":\"Hans\"}"))
+                        .content("{\"firstName\":\"Hans\",\"personType\":\"PERSON\"}"))
                 .andExpect(status().isBadRequest());
     }
 
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ class PersonControllerTest {
     void createPerson_returns400_whenLastNameIsBlank() throws Exception {
         mockMvc.perform(post("/api/persons")
                         .contentType(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON)
-                        .content("{\"firstName\":\"Hans\",\"lastName\":\"  \"}"))
+                        .content("{\"firstName\":\"Hans\",\"lastName\":\"  \",\"personType\":\"PERSON\"}"))
                 .andExpect(status().isBadRequest());
     }
 
@@ -225,11 +225,24 @@ class PersonControllerTest {
 
         mockMvc.perform(post("/api/persons")
                         .contentType(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON)
-                        .content("{\"firstName\":\"Hans\",\"lastName\":\"Müller\"}"))
+                        .content("{\"firstName\":\"Hans\",\"lastName\":\"Müller\",\"personType\":\"PERSON\"}"))
                 .andExpect(status().isOk())
                 .andExpect(jsonPath("$.firstName").value("Hans"));
     }
 
+    @Test
+    @WithMockUser(authorities = "WRITE_ALL")
+    void createPerson_returns200_forInstitution_withoutFirstName() throws Exception {
+        Person saved = Person.builder().id(UUID.randomUUID()).lastName("Verlag GmbH").build();
+        when(personService.createPerson(any(org.raddatz.familienarchiv.dto.PersonUpdateDTO.class))).thenReturn(saved);
+
+        mockMvc.perform(post("/api/persons")
+                        .contentType(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON)
+                        .content("{\"lastName\":\"Verlag GmbH\",\"personType\":\"INSTITUTION\"}"))
+                .andExpect(status().isOk())
+                .andExpect(jsonPath("$.lastName").value("Verlag GmbH"));
+    }
+
     // ─── PUT /api/persons/{id} ────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
     @Test
@@ -242,10 +255,10 @@ class PersonControllerTest {
 
     @Test
     @WithMockUser(authorities = "WRITE_ALL")
-    void updatePerson_returns400_whenFirstNameIsBlank() throws Exception {
+    void updatePerson_returns400_whenPersonTypeIsPerson_andFirstNameIsBlank() throws Exception {
         mockMvc.perform(put("/api/persons/{id}", UUID.randomUUID())
                         .contentType(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON)
-                        .content("{\"firstName\":\"\",\"lastName\":\"Müller\"}"))
+                        .content("{\"firstName\":\"\",\"lastName\":\"Müller\",\"personType\":\"PERSON\"}"))
                 .andExpect(status().isBadRequest());
     }
 
@@ -254,7 +267,7 @@ class PersonControllerTest {
     void updatePerson_returns400_whenLastNameIsNull() throws Exception {
         mockMvc.perform(put("/api/persons/{id}", UUID.randomUUID())
                         .contentType(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON)
-                        .content("{\"firstName\":\"Hans\"}"))
+                        .content("{\"firstName\":\"Hans\",\"personType\":\"PERSON\"}"))
                 .andExpect(status().isBadRequest());
     }
 
@@ -267,7 +280,7 @@ class PersonControllerTest {
 
         mockMvc.perform(put("/api/persons/{id}", id)
                         .contentType(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON)
-                        .content("{\"firstName\":\"Hans\",\"lastName\":\"Müller\"}"))
+                        .content("{\"firstName\":\"Hans\",\"lastName\":\"Müller\",\"personType\":\"PERSON\"}"))
                 .andExpect(status().isOk())
                 .andExpect(jsonPath("$.lastName").value("Müller"));
     }
@@ -317,11 +330,10 @@ class PersonControllerTest {
     @Test
     @WithMockUser(authorities = "WRITE_ALL")
     void updatePerson_returns400_whenLastNameIsBlank() throws Exception {
-        // firstName valid, lastName blank → second || operand = true → 400
         UUID id = UUID.randomUUID();
         mockMvc.perform(put("/api/persons/{id}", id)
                         .contentType(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON)
-                        .content("{\"firstName\":\"Hans\",\"lastName\":\"   \"}"))
+                        .content("{\"firstName\":\"Hans\",\"lastName\":\"   \",\"personType\":\"PERSON\"}"))
                 .andExpect(status().isBadRequest());
     }
 
@@ -339,7 +351,7 @@ class PersonControllerTest {
                         .contentType(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON)
                         .content("{\"firstName\":\"Maria\",\"lastName\":\"Raddatz\"," +
                                 "\"alias\":\"Oma Maria\",\"birthYear\":1901,\"deathYear\":1975," +
-                                "\"notes\":\"Some notes\"}"))
+                                "\"notes\":\"Some notes\",\"personType\":\"PERSON\"}"))
                 .andExpect(status().isOk())
                 .andExpect(jsonPath("$.firstName").value("Maria"))
                 .andExpect(jsonPath("$.alias").value("Oma Maria"))
@@ -355,7 +367,7 @@ class PersonControllerTest {
         UUID id = UUID.randomUUID();
         mockMvc.perform(put("/api/persons/{id}", id)
                         .contentType(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON)
-                        .content("{\"firstName\":\"Hans\",\"lastName\":\"Müller\",\"notes\":\"" + oversizedNotes + "\"}"))
+                        .content("{\"firstName\":\"Hans\",\"lastName\":\"Müller\",\"notes\":\"" + oversizedNotes + "\",\"personType\":\"PERSON\"}"))
                 .andExpect(status().isBadRequest());
     }
 
@@ -366,7 +378,7 @@ class PersonControllerTest {
         UUID id = UUID.randomUUID();
         mockMvc.perform(put("/api/persons/{id}", id)
                         .contentType(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON)
-                        .content("{\"firstName\":\"" + oversizedFirstName + "\",\"lastName\":\"Müller\"}"))
+                        .content("{\"firstName\":\"" + oversizedFirstName + "\",\"lastName\":\"Müller\",\"personType\":\"PERSON\"}"))
                 .andExpect(status().isBadRequest());
     }
 
@@ -377,7 +389,7 @@ class PersonControllerTest {
     void createPerson_returns403_whenUserHasOnlyReadPermission() throws Exception {
         mockMvc.perform(post("/api/persons")
                         .contentType(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON)
-                        .content("{\"firstName\":\"Hans\",\"lastName\":\"Müller\"}"))
+                        .content("{\"firstName\":\"Hans\",\"lastName\":\"Müller\",\"personType\":\"PERSON\"}"))
                 .andExpect(status().isForbidden());
     }
 
@@ -386,7 +398,7 @@ class PersonControllerTest {
     void updatePerson_returns403_whenUserHasOnlyReadPermission() throws Exception {
         mockMvc.perform(put("/api/persons/{id}", UUID.randomUUID())
                         .contentType(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON)
-                        .content("{\"firstName\":\"Hans\",\"lastName\":\"Müller\"}"))
+                        .content("{\"firstName\":\"Hans\",\"lastName\":\"Müller\",\"personType\":\"PERSON\"}"))
                 .andExpect(status().isForbidden());
     }