Lese-Challenge für B1+/B2 - Start: 3. November 2025
Die Hexe von Bamberg - 20 German Short Stories
Die neue Short-Story-Collection ist auf Amazon und Patreon erhältlich und du kannst sie ab November mit mir zusammen lesen!
The new short story collection is now available on Amazon, and you can start reading it together with me in November!
Amazon: Taschenbuch & Kindle
Patreon: PDF eBook
Hier sind die Regeln:
Wir lesen eine Geschichte pro Woche und haben wie immer eine Telegram- und eine WhatsApp-Gruppe.
Zu jeder Geschichte gibt es 8 offene Verständnisfragen. Mit Hilfe der Verständnisfragen kannst du die Geschichte zusammenfassen, aber es gibt keine Lösung im Buch.
Danach folgen drei Konversationsfragen. Optimal wäre es, wenn die Teilnehmer diese Fragen nicht nur beantworten, sondern auch auf die Meinungen anderer reagieren würden.
Die Challenge startet am Montag, den 3. November. Da es diesmal Short Stories sind, kannst du auch später noch einsteigen oder mal eine Woche auslassen. Wichtig ist mir, dass jede Woche eine Story bearbeitet wird.
Wie bei der letzten Challenge ist es Pflicht, dass sich jeder kurz vorstellt, der Mitglied in einer der beiden Gruppen wird. Wer das nicht tut, wird aus der Gruppe entfernt.
Eine Anmeldung für die Challenge ist ab dem 26./27. Oktober möglich. Anmeldung bedeutet, dass du Mitglied in der WhatsApp- oder Telegram-Gruppe wirst. Ich werde den Link in diesem Artikel einfügen sowie im Telegram-Channel und auf meiner Website posten. Außerdem kommt am 29. Oktober noch ein Substack-Artikel mit einem kompletten Kapitel aus dem Buch, wo ich die Anmelde-Links ebenfalls einfügen werde.
We’ll read one story per week, and as always, there will be both a Telegram group and a WhatsApp group.
Each story comes with 8 open comprehension questions to help you summarize the plot — there are no solutions in the book, so you’ll have to think and express the answers in your own words.
After that, you’ll find three conversation questions. Ideally, participants should not only answer them but also respond to other people’s opinions to keep the discussion alive.
The challenge starts on Monday, November 3rd. Since this time we’re reading short stories, you can join later or skip a week if needed — the main goal is to complete one story per week.
Just like in the last challenge, it’s mandatory to introduce yourself when you join one of the groups. Members who don’t introduce themselves will be removed.
Registration opens on October 27th. Registration means joining the WhatsApp or Telegram group. I’ll add the link to this article, post it in the Telegram channel and on my website.
On October 29th, I’ll also publish a Substack article with a full sample chapter from the book and the registration links included.
WhatsApp-Gruppe: https://chat.whatsapp.com/LhrEutyvlfQ6GC5P1C3jQ0
Telegram-Gruppe: https://t.me/+L08lcrnfhNo0MWRh
Das Buch
Wie erwähnt, ist das Buch jetzt auf Amazon erhältlich, als Taschenbuch und für Kindle. Außerdem kannst du es als PDF eBook in meinem Patreon-Shop kaufen.
Die Audios sind wie immer kostenlos und im gleichen GoogleDrive-Ordner zu finden wie alle anderen Audios. Den Link findest du in der Willkommens-Email, die du bekommen hast, nachdem du diesen Substack-Newsletter abonnierst hast.
Zahlende Mitglieder des German with Stories Club können das PDF eBook “Die Hexe von Bamberg” bis zum 3. November kostenlos downloaden.
As mentioned, the book is now available on Amazon — both as a paperback and for Kindle. You can also purchase the PDF eBook in my Patreon shop.
The audio versions are, as always, free and can be found in the same Google Drive folder as all the other audios. You’ll find the link in the welcome email you received after subscribing to this Substack newsletter.
Paying members of the German with Stories Club can download the PDF eBook “Die Hexe von Bamberg” for free until November 3rd.
Sind es brandneue Geschichten?
Nein, es sind keine komplett neuen Geschichten. Einige stammen aus dem nicht mehr erhältlichen Buch “24 German Short Stories” und die anderen habe ich in den letzten zwei Jahren für Club-Mitglieder geschrieben. Neu sind die Verständnis- und Konversationsfragen unter jedem Kapitel sowie die Sektion “Sprachtipps”, wo ich idiomatische und andere Ausdrücke mit Hilfe von Beispielen erkläre.
No, these are not completely new stories. Some come from the now unavailable book “24 German Short Stories”, while others were written over the past two years for club members.
What’s new are the comprehension and conversation questions at the end of each chapter, as well as the “Language Tips” section, where I explain idiomatic and other tricky expressions with clear examples.
Die Stories
Ich habe von ChatGPT kurz auf Englisch zusammenfassen lassen, worum es in den Stories geht (natürlich ohne, dass alles schon verraten wird). Voilà:
1. Die Hexe von Bamberg: Bamberg, 1630. Helene lives as a healer on the edge of the city, in a time when one wrong step could mean death. When a mysterious young woman knocks on her door, Helene’s life takes a dangerous turn. Between fear, faith, and power unfolds a story of courage, fate, and the mysterious forces that shape human destiny.
2. Der Austernfischer: Along the windy coast of western France, Pierre has spent fifty years harvesting oysters from the sea. But when thieves begin stealing from his farm, the old fisherman faces losing everything he’s built. Then his grandson from Paris arrives with a clever idea that could change not only Pierre’s fate, but also that of an unexpected stranger.
3. Das Testament: When Patricia’s grandfather dies, she expects only grief and maybe a little money to help her survive her chaotic city life. Instead, his will confronts her with an unexpected challenge, one that forces her back to the countryside she once escaped. What begins as an obligation slowly becomes a journey of rediscovery, healing, and the true meaning of family.
4. Der reisende Tischler: In 1514, young carpenter Friedrich leaves his home to travel the world and master his craft. His journey takes him from small German villages to grand cities and into the workshops of remarkable artisans. But one encounter will lead him to uncover a secret hidden in fine wood and love — a secret that changes not only his destiny, but that of those he meets along the way.
5. Drama im Cockpit: When Robert boards a flight to Madrid, he doesn’t expect his younger brother to be the one flying the plane — or that their journey will turn into a test of life and death. High above the clouds, a sudden emergency forces both men to confront old memories and fears that never truly disappeared. In the narrow space of the cockpit, past and present collide in a gripping story about courage, trauma, and brotherhood.
6. Eine Frage der Moral: Javier divides his life between two women — Marleen from Belgium and Hanna from Switzerland. All three travel often and meet in different corners of the world, each believing the arrangement somehow works. But as love, loyalty, and freedom intertwine, Javier begins to wonder whether happiness built on secrets can truly last.
7. Nachbarn: Elfriede, 86, has lived in the same building for over sixty years — once full of German families, now home to neighbors from around the world. Lonely and annoyed by the noise of the children downstairs, she feels like a stranger in her own country. But one unexpected fall and an act of kindness begin to change everything, showing her that friendship speaks every language.
8. Das Kleid der Tänzerin: During a weekend in Paris, Melanie discovers an old ballet dress once worn by a legendary Russian prima ballerina. Drawn by a strange fascination, she meets the dancer’s great-granddaughter and steps into a world of elegance, secrets, and forgotten history. What begins as a simple curiosity soon turns into a connection that feels destined.
9. Ein spezieller Gast: When a charming foreigner checks into a quiet lakeside hotel, Jennifer thinks it’s just another ordinary guest. But after he leaves, a shocking news story turns her world upside down. Suddenly, she must decide between doing what’s right and protecting herself - a choice that could change her life forever.
10. Der neue Pfarrer: When Father Carlos Medina arrives from Colombia to lead a small German parish, not everyone welcomes his easygoing style and open mind. Jeans instead of robes, music instead of solemn silence — he changes everything. But as old habits meet new ideas, even the most skeptical hearts begin to open, discovering faith and community in unexpected ways.
11. Ein nicht ganz gewöhnlicher Tag: Kirsten wakes up to what seems like the worst day of her life — a sleepless night, a ruined dress, a lost job, and a breakup text. But when all hope seems gone, an unexpected twist turns despair into relief. Sometimes, life falls apart only to make room for a surprising stroke of luck.
12. Mischa: In the middle of a freezing winter night, a hungry stray cat sneaks through an open window in search of warmth and food. What begins as a desperate act leads Mischa into the life of a little girl and to a home filled with love. A touching story about loss, kindness, and second chances.
13. Ein Koffer aus Argentinien: When Manuel receives a mysterious letter from a law firm, he discovers he’s the heir to a woman he never met — his grandmother in Argentina. A single suitcase arrives, filled with old photos, diaries, and a letter that unravels decades of silence and secrets. What he finds inside may lead him not just to his past, but to a new beginning.
14. Ein ungewöhnlicher Dieb: A series of burglaries keeps the Frankfurt police on edge. Everything points to a professional until Kommissar Meier notices an unexpected connection between the victims. What he uncovers will challenge his idea of guilt and justice more than any case before.
15. Ein Geschenk aus der Zukunft: Hamburg, 1872. Sixteen-year-old Michael dreams of a better life—until a mysterious encounter changes his destiny in ways he could never imagine. Decades later, an object from that night becomes his family’s last hope. A moving time-travel story about courage, love, and the power of an unexpected gift.
16. Reset: An international crew embarks on a daring mission to travel 12,000 years into the past and restart human civilization. But when they awaken from decades of deep sleep, they face an unexpected turn that puts their mission and their unity to the test.
17. Ruf der Ferne: In the early 1920s, young Leonardo leaves his home in Sicily to seek a better life in Argentina, hoping to earn enough to bring the girl he loves and start a family together.
18. Schatzsuche auf Amrum: Two retired friends travel to a windswept North Sea island after one of them discovers an old map in his late father’s belongings. What begins as a lighthearted treasure hunt soon turns into something far more personal—an unexpected journey into family secrets buried beneath the sands of time.
19. Die blaue Katze: When Emma rescues a strange blue-shimmering cat from a tree, her life quietly begins to change. But it’s only when an old man reveals the truth about Luna that Emma starts to understand the magic she has welcomed into her home.
20. In der Kneipe “Zur Alten Zeit“: After a long day on a business trip, Simon stumbles upon an old-fashioned tavern where time seems to have stopped and where phones don’t work. At first, he feels uneasy without his constant connection to the digital world, but as the night unfolds, he discovers the strange peace of being truly present.
Ich bin gespannt, wie viele Teilnehmer sich finden, denn eigentlich liegt mein Fokus ja auf Materialien für A2/B1. Zum Lesen ist das Buch für B1 okay, aber die Beantwortung der Fragen ist schon recht anspruchsvoll. Nun gut, schauen wir mal.
Zum Schluss noch ein kleines Update aus meinem Leben: Heute ist mein letzter Tag in Argentinien. Morgen fliege ich mit einem nationalen Flug ganz in den Norden und überquere dann mit einem Bus die Grenze nach Brasilien. Am Montag geht es in den Nordosten des Landes. Da Brasilien bekanntlich ziemlich groß ist, ist das erst ein anderthalbstündiger Flug nach São Paulo und danach drei Stunden bis nach Recife.
Ich wünsche dir ein schönes Wochenende.
I’m really curious to see how many participants will join this time — after all, my main focus is usually on A2/B1 materials. The book is fine for B1 learners when it comes to reading, but answering the questions will definitely be a bit more challenging. Well, we’ll see how it goes.
And a little personal update to finish: today is my last day in Argentina. Tomorrow I’ll take a domestic flight to the north, then cross the border to Brazil by bus. On Monday, I’ll head to the northeast — first a 1.5-hour flight to São Paulo, and then another three hours to Recife.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend!