A1 · Deutsch
German short stories for A1 learners
Classic stories, retold for your level
These are classics originally written in German, retold for A1–A2 learners. A retelling keeps the whole plot of the original — every scene, every turn — in language pitched at your level. Every sentence has a translation into your language, and the first sentences of any story are free to type, no account needed.
Das Bettelweib von Locarno
The Beggarwoman of Locarno · Heinrich von Kleist, 1810
Am Fuß der Alpen liegt die Stadt Locarno, und sie liegt im Norden von Italien.
At the foot of the Alps lies the town of Locarno, and it lies in the north of Italy.
A1–A2886 words~27 min to typeTranslation: EN UK ES FR IT PT KO
Die Bremer Stadtmusikanten
The Town Musicians of Bremen · Brothers Grimm, 1819
Ein Mann hatte einen Esel.
A man had a donkey.
A1–A2899 words~27 min to typeTranslation: EN UK ES FR IT PT KO
Der blinde Geronimo und sein Bruder
Blind Geronimo and His Brother · Arthur Schnitzler, 1900
Der blinde Geronimo stand auf und nahm seine Gitarre vom Tisch.
Blind Geronimo stood up and took his guitar from the table.
A1–A21,423 words~43 min to typeTranslation: EN UK ES FR IT PT KO
Krambambuli
Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach, 1883
Der Jäger Hopp hatte in seinem Leben viele Hunde, und er mochte sie alle.
The hunter Hopp had many dogs in his life, and he liked them all.
A1–A21,953 words~59 min to typeTranslation: EN UK ES FR IT PT KO
Ein Landarzt
A Country Doctor · Franz Kafka, 1918
Ich hatte ein großes Problem, denn ich musste dringend zu einem Kranken fahren.
I had a big problem, because I urgently needed to go to a sick man.
A1–A22,161 words~65 min to typeTranslation: EN UK ES FR IT PT KO
Ein Hungerkünstler
A Hunger Artist · Franz Kafka, 1922
Früher mochten die Leute Hungerkünstler sehr, aber heute will sie niemand mehr sehen.
People used to love hunger artists, but today nobody wants to see them anymore.
A1–A22,714 words~82 min to typeTranslation: EN UK ES FR IT PT KO
Die Geschichte von Kalif Storch
The Story of Caliph Stork · Wilhelm Hauff, 1826
Der Kalif Chasid lebte in Bagdad.
Caliph Chasid lived in Baghdad.
A1–A22,941 words~89 min to typeTranslation: EN UK ES FR IT PT KO
Die unsichtbare Sammlung
The Invisible Collection · Stefan Zweig, 1925
Kurz vor Dresden, bei der zweiten Haltestelle, stieg ein älterer Herr in mein Abteil.
Just before Dresden, at the second stop, an elderly gentleman got into my compartment.
A1–A23,666 words~111 min to typeTranslation: EN UK ES FR IT PT KO
Gladius Dei
Thomas Mann, 1902
München leuchtete.
Munich was shining.
A1–A23,730 words~113 min to typeTranslation: EN UK ES FR IT PT KO
A1 in other languages
Questions
How were these retellings made?
Each retelling starts as an AI draft written to its level. A second pass critiques and revises it: does it fit the level, is the whole plot still there? A mechanical check makes sure no long passages are copied from the original. English and Ukrainian retellings are also read by a person before they go live.
Are these official CEFR levels?
No. A1–A2, B1–B2 and C1 are the targets each retelling is written to, on the CEFR scale (the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) you know from courses and exams. No one certifies the level of a story, ours included, so treat it as a guide: if a page feels too easy or too hard, move one level over.
Can I switch levels in the middle of a story?
Yes. The three levels are separate retellings of the same story, and each keeps its own progress — switch to an easier or a harder one whenever you like, and come back to where you left off.
Is it free?
The first sentences of every retelling are free to type, no account needed, and the free daily practice draws sentences from the whole library. Whole stories, at all three levels, come with Krapka Pro — $5 a month or $45 a year.