What's included here
German short stories are a great way to explore German literature without taking on an entire novel. In this guide, you'll discover five stories by German-language authors, from the Brothers Grimm to contemporary writers, with suggested reading levels from B1 to C1.
Looking for something interesting to read in German, but feeling a little sweaty at the thought of tackling Hegel's Phänomenologie des Geistes?
Well, don't worry. There's plenty of German literature to enjoy before you reach for the philosophy books.
Short stories are a lovely place to start. They're manageable enough to finish in a sitting or two, but can be just as strange, funny, unsettling or thought-provoking as a full-length novel.
We've picked five German short stories that offer a taste of different authors and styles of German literature.
Why Learn German With Short Stories?
Reading short stories is a good way to get used to German as it's actually written, rather than the carefully controlled language of textbooks.
You'll encounter vocabulary in context, become more familiar with German sentence structures and discover how different authors use the language.
And because they're short, you can experiment with more challenging literature without spending the next six months trying to finish a single book.
If you're still at A1 or A2, we'd recommend starting with simplified stories or German children's books. The original literary texts below are generally better suited to intermediate and advanced learners.
Five German Short Stories
1. Herr Gröttrup setzt sich hin
Herr Gröttrup setzt sich hin
by Sharon Dodua Otoo
An ordinary breakfast in a German household becomes a curious examination of domestic power, entitlement and a troublesome boiled egg.
Herr Gröttrup is a retired man who likes things done a certain way. Unfortunately, one morning his breakfast egg isn't cooked quite to his liking.
Someone must be responsible for this.
His wife seems the obvious candidate, but things take a strange turn when the egg itself appears to have something to say about all this.
Through this wonderfully playful and peculiar perspective, Sharon Dodua Otoo explores domestic hierarchies and gender roles.
Why read it in German?
Otoo's writing is witty, inventive and full of unexpected shifts in perspective.
The vocabulary isn't uniformly difficult, but the wordplay, irony and unusual narration make it better suited to B2–C1 learners.
2. Der kleine Herr Friedemann
Der kleine Herr Friedemann
by Thomas Mann
A man who has carefully arranged his life around art, music and solitude finds his emotional defences collapsing when he falls in love with a married woman.
Johannes Friedemann has spent much of his life avoiding romantic entanglements.
After an unhappy experience as a young man, he decides to devote himself instead to literature, music and the small pleasures of a carefully ordered life. And for a while, this arrangement works rather well.
Then, one day, he meets Gerda von Rinnlingen, and his growing attraction to her threatens the comfortable life he's worked so hard to maintain.
Why read it in German?
Thomas Mann is one of the giants of German literature, celebrated for his psychological insight, rich descriptions and distinctive literary style.
His writing can be challenging, with long sentences, sophisticated vocabulary and subtle observations about human behaviour. But for advanced learners, this complexity is also part of what makes his work so rewarding.
At around C1 level, this is the most demanding story on our list. It's an excellent opportunity to engage with German literature at its most sophisticated, and a manageable introduction to Mann's writing before tackling one of his considerably longer novels.
3. Saisonbeginn
Saisonbeginn
by Elisabeth Langgässer
As a picturesque German mountain town prepares for the tourist season, three workers install a sign that exposes the town’s antisemitism.
It's the beginning of the tourist season in a small German mountain town.
The weather is pleasant, the scenery is beautiful and three workers are busy deciding where to place a new sign at the entrance to the town - a perfectly ordinary task, it would seem.
However, the sign announces that Jewish visitors are not welcome.
As the workers install it, townspeople pass by, apparently untroubled by what it says.
The story's quiet, matter-of-fact narration makes the antisemitism it depicts all the more disturbing.
Why read it in German?
This is a particularly interesting story for learners who enjoy German history and literature.
Rather than explaining its message directly, Langgässer allows the ordinary actions and reactions of the townspeople to reveal the prejudice surrounding them.
The story is relatively short, but its descriptive language and understated irony make it most appropriate for B2 learners and above.
4. Hänsel und Gretel
Hänsel und Gretel
by Brüder Grimm
Two children abandoned in the forest discover a house made of sweets, where a witch plans to capture and eat them.
One of the Brothers Grimm's most famous German fairy tales, Hänsel und Gretel takes place, of course, in a dark and foreboding forest.
When two young siblings are abandoned in the woods, they try desperately to find their way home, and stumble upon a house made of bread, cake and sugar.
Unfortunately, the woman who lives there is interested in making the children her next meal.
Why read it in German?
Because you probably already know the story, it's easier to follow the plot even when you encounter unfamiliar vocabulary.
However, the original Grimm text contains older expressions and literary language that aren't necessarily easy for beginners.
We'd recommend the original at approximately B1–B2, depending on your confidence. If you're still at A1 or A2, look for a simplified adaptation instead.
And if you enjoy the darker side of German folklore, there's plenty more where this came from! Many of the tales collected by the Brothers Grimm are surprisingly gruesome.
5. Nachts schlafen die Ratten doch
Nachts schlafen die Ratten doch
by Wolfgang Borchert
In the ruins of a bombed German city, a young boy keeps watch over his dead brother until an older man stops to talk to him.
A young boy sits alone among the ruins of a German city destroyed during the Second World War. He's guarding the body of his younger brother, buried beneath the rubble, because he's afraid the rats will get to it.
Then an older man approaches him, and they start talking. Their conversation gradually reveals the boy's situation and offers a small moment of kindness amid the devastation.
It's a heartbreaking story, but also one about compassion and hope.
Why read it in German?
Wolfgang Borchert is one of the best-known writers associated with Trümmerliteratur, or rubble literature.
This post-war literary movement often depicted the experiences of ordinary people living with the physical and emotional destruction left by the Second World War.
Borchert's language is notably direct, with short sentences and dialogue that makes the story more approachable than many other works of literary fiction.
At approximately B1–B2, it's a good choice for intermediate learners who want to try an original German short story with some historical depth.
Tips for Reading German Short Stories
Reading original German literature can take a little getting used to, especially if most of your experience comes from textbooks.
A few things can make it easier:
- Don't look up every unfamiliar word. Try to follow the story first, and check vocabulary when it becomes important to understanding what's happening.
- Read something familiar. Knowing the plot of a fairy tale makes it easier to concentrate on the German.
- Try listening along. If you can find an audio recording of the story, reading and listening together can help with comprehension. Our guide to German audiobooks is a good place to start.
Where to Go Next
Once you're comfortable reading shorter works of German literature, you might want to try something with a little more room for character development.
Our collection of German books for language learners includes approachable novels and other longer works for learners ready to move beyond short fiction.