backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/controller/PersonController.java

@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ public class PersonController {
         if (firstName == null || firstName.isBlank() || lastName == null || lastName.isBlank()) {
             throw new ResponseStatusException(HttpStatus.BAD_REQUEST, "Vor- und Nachname sind Pflichtfelder");
         }
-        return ResponseEntity.ok(personService.updatePerson(id, firstName.trim(), lastName.trim(), body.get("alias")));
+        return ResponseEntity.ok(personService.updatePerson(id, firstName.trim(), lastName.trim(), body.get("alias"), body.get("notes")));
     }
 
     @PostMapping("/{id}/merge")

backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/model/Person.java

@@ -28,4 +28,8 @@ public class Person {
 
     // Optional: Aliasse für die Suche (z.B. "Opa Hans")
     private String alias;
+
+    // Optional: Free-text biographical notes
+    @Column(columnDefinition = "TEXT")
+    private String notes;
 }

backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/service/PersonService.java

@@ -58,12 +58,13 @@ public class PersonService {
     }
 
     @Transactional
-    public Person updatePerson(UUID id, String firstName, String lastName, String alias) {
+    public Person updatePerson(UUID id, String firstName, String lastName, String alias, String notes) {
         Person person = personRepository.findById(id)
                 .orElseThrow(() -> new ResponseStatusException(HttpStatus.NOT_FOUND, "Person nicht gefunden"));
         person.setFirstName(firstName);
         person.setLastName(lastName);
         person.setAlias(alias == null || alias.isBlank() ? null : alias.trim());
+        person.setNotes(notes == null || notes.isBlank() ? null : notes.trim());
         return personRepository.save(person);
     }
 

backend/src/main/resources/db/migration/V5__add_notes_to_persons.sql

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+ALTER TABLE persons ADD COLUMN notes TEXT;

backend/src/test/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/service/PersonServiceTest.java

@@ -83,6 +83,32 @@ class PersonServiceTest {
         verify(personRepository).findByAliasIgnoreCase("Clara Cram");
     }
 
+    // ─── updatePerson (notes) ────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    @Test
+    void updatePerson_persistsNotes() {
+        UUID id = UUID.randomUUID();
+        Person person = Person.builder().id(id).firstName("Anna").lastName("Alt").build();
+        when(personRepository.findById(id)).thenReturn(Optional.of(person));
+        when(personRepository.save(any())).thenAnswer(inv -> inv.getArgument(0));
+
+        Person result = personService.updatePerson(id, "Anna", "Alt", null, "Some notes here.");
+
+        assertThat(result.getNotes()).isEqualTo("Some notes here.");
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void updatePerson_clearsNotes_whenBlank() {
+        UUID id = UUID.randomUUID();
+        Person person = Person.builder().id(id).firstName("Anna").lastName("Alt").notes("old notes").build();
+        when(personRepository.findById(id)).thenReturn(Optional.of(person));
+        when(personRepository.save(any())).thenAnswer(inv -> inv.getArgument(0));
+
+        Person result = personService.updatePerson(id, "Anna", "Alt", null, "   ");
+
+        assertThat(result.getNotes()).isNull();
+    }
+
     // ─── mergePersons ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
     @Test

frontend/messages/de.json

@@ -111,6 +111,8 @@
 	"person_btn_merge": "Zusammenführen",
 	"person_btn_merge_confirm": "Ja, zusammenführen",
 	"person_merge_warning": "Achtung: Diese Aktion ist nicht rückgängig zu machen.",
+	"person_label_notes": "Notizen",
+	"person_placeholder_notes": "Biographische Hinweise, Besonderheiten…",
 	"person_docs_heading": "Gesendete Dokumente",
 	"person_no_docs": "Diese Person ist noch nicht als Absender verknüpft.",
 

frontend/messages/en.json

@@ -111,6 +111,8 @@
 	"person_btn_merge": "Merge",
 	"person_btn_merge_confirm": "Yes, merge",
 	"person_merge_warning": "Warning: This action cannot be undone.",
+	"person_label_notes": "Notes",
+	"person_placeholder_notes": "Biographical notes, remarks…",
 	"person_docs_heading": "Sent documents",
 	"person_no_docs": "This person has not yet been linked as a sender.",
 

frontend/messages/es.json

@@ -111,6 +111,8 @@
 	"person_btn_merge": "Fusionar",
 	"person_btn_merge_confirm": "Sí, fusionar",
 	"person_merge_warning": "Atención: Esta acción no se puede deshacer.",
+	"person_label_notes": "Notas",
+	"person_placeholder_notes": "Notas biográficas, observaciones…",
 	"person_docs_heading": "Documentos enviados",
 	"person_no_docs": "Esta persona aún no está vinculada como remitente.",
 

frontend/src/lib/generated/api.ts

@@ -307,6 +307,7 @@ export interface components {
             firstName: string;
             lastName: string;
             alias?: string;
+            notes?: string;
         };
         DocumentUpdateDTO: {
             title?: string;

frontend/src/routes/persons/[id]/+page.server.ts

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ export const actions = {
         const firstName = formData.get('firstName')?.toString().trim();
         const lastName = formData.get('lastName')?.toString().trim();
         const alias = formData.get('alias')?.toString().trim() || undefined;
+        const notes = formData.get('notes')?.toString().trim() || undefined;
 
         if (!firstName || !lastName) {
             return fail(400, { updateError: 'Vor- und Nachname sind Pflichtfelder.' });
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ export const actions = {
         const api = createApiClient(fetch);
         const { error: apiError } = await api.PUT('/api/persons/{id}', {
             params: { path: { id: params.id } },
-            body: { firstName, lastName, ...(alias ? { alias } : {}) }
+            body: { firstName, lastName, ...(alias ? { alias } : {}), ...(notes ? { notes } : {}) }
         });
 
         if (apiError) {

frontend/src/routes/persons/[id]/+page.svelte

@@ -82,6 +82,16 @@
                                     class="block w-full border border-gray-300 rounded px-3 py-2 font-serif text-brand-navy focus:outline-none focus:border-brand-navy"
                                 />
                             </div>
+                            <div class="md:col-span-2">
+                                <label for="notes" class="block text-xs font-bold uppercase tracking-widest text-gray-400 mb-1">{m.person_label_notes()}</label>
+                                <textarea
+                                    id="notes"
+                                    name="notes"
+                                    rows="4"
+                                    placeholder={m.person_placeholder_notes()}
+                                    class="block w-full border border-gray-300 rounded px-3 py-2 font-serif text-brand-navy focus:outline-none focus:border-brand-navy resize-y"
+                                >{person.notes ?? ''}</textarea>
+                            </div>
                         </div>
 
                         <div class="flex gap-3">
@@ -126,6 +136,13 @@
                                 <span class="block text-lg font-serif text-brand-navy italic">"{person.alias}"</span>
                             </div>
                             {/if}
+
+                            {#if person.notes}
+                            <div class="md:col-span-2">
+                                <span class="block text-xs font-bold font-sans text-gray-400 uppercase tracking-widest mb-1">{m.person_label_notes()}</span>
+                                <p class="text-base font-serif text-brand-navy whitespace-pre-wrap">{person.notes}</p>
+                            </div>
+                            {/if}
                         </div>
                     </div>
                 </div>