Formatting a German business letter correctly means following DIN 5008 guidelines for every element, from the sender's address block at the top to the signature and enclosure notation at the bottom.
The Structure of a DIN 5008-Compliant Letter
A standard German business letter on A4 paper follows a precise vertical sequence of elements. Understanding what each element is and where it belongs removes the guesswork that often leads to non-compliant letters.
Letterhead (Briefkopf)
The letterhead sits in the top section of the page, typically occupying the first 27 mm from the top edge. It contains the company name, full address, telephone number, email address, and — for companies — the company registration number and VAT identification number. The letterhead often includes the company logo, though DIN 5008 does not specify logo design, only the area available for it.
Address Window (Anschriftfeld)
Below the letterhead, starting at approximately 50 mm from the top edge, comes the address window area. This block is positioned to align with the address window of a standard German DL window envelope. The first line may contain a return address or routing note printed in smaller type. The actual recipient address follows, typically five to six lines covering the recipient's name, company, street address, postcode, and city.
Reference Line (Bezugszeile)
Positioned at around 97 mm from the top, the reference line carries four standard fields: Ihr Zeichen (your reference), Ihre Nachricht vom (your letter of), Unser Zeichen (our reference), and Datum (date). These fields allow both sender and recipient to quickly connect the letter to previous correspondence and filing systems. Not all fields need to be filled — unused fields are typically left blank rather than removed.
Subject Line (Betreff)
The subject line follows the reference line after a blank line. In modern DIN 5008 practice, the word "Betreff" is no longer written — the subject text itself begins without a label. It is typically set in bold to make it visually distinct and easy to locate. The subject line should be concise and descriptive.
The Body and Closing Elements
Salutation (Anrede)
The salutation follows the subject line after a blank line. The standard German business salutation is Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren (when the recipient is unknown), Sehr geehrte Frau [Name], or Sehr geehrter Herr [Name]. The salutation ends with a comma, and the first sentence of the body text begins on the next line with a lower-case letter — unless it is a noun or a proper name, in which case capitalisation applies as normal in German.
Body Text
Body text is written in the standard left-aligned block format. Paragraphs are separated by a single blank line rather than by indentation. Font size is typically 11 or 12 pt in a legible typeface such as Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. Line spacing of 1.0 to 1.15 is standard.
Closing Phrase (Grußformel)
The closing phrase follows the body text after a blank line. Mit freundlichen Grüßen is the standard professional closing, equivalent to "Yours sincerely" or "Kind regards." It is followed by two to four blank lines for the handwritten signature, and then the sender's name typed out, along with their position in the company if relevant.
Enclosures and Copies (Anlagen / Verteiler)
If documents are enclosed with the letter, the word Anlage (singular) or Anlagen (plural) appears below the signature block, followed by a list of the enclosed items. If copies are being sent to additional recipients, a Verteiler (distribution list) follows. Both elements use a consistent format specified in DIN 5008.
Fold Marks and Hole-Punch Mark
Two horizontal fold marks on the left margin guide the reader in folding the letter to fit a standard envelope. The upper mark is positioned approximately 105 mm from the top, and the lower mark at approximately 210 mm. A small triangular or dash mark at the vertical midpoint of the left margin indicates where a hole punch should be applied if the letter is to be filed in a ring binder.
For ready-to-use templates that incorporate all these elements in the correct positions, see the free DIN 5008 templates available at smartdexblog.de. Further guidance on German typography and document layout is available from resources such as typografie.info.