How to read official German letters
Who writes to you, how to spot a deadline and which letters you can never leave unopened.
Basic6 min readLast updated: 2026-07-14Available in EN · DE
This guide is being written and reviewed. The outline below shows what it will cover.
On this page
- The senders you will meet most often
- Finding the Frist: the words that signal a deadline
- Bescheid, Mahnung, Widerspruch: what each one means
- What to do if you cannot read the letter
- Where to get free help with official correspondence
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