diff --git a/deploy-production.sh b/deploy-production.sh
index 7bdc713..6a91c36 100755
--- a/deploy-production.sh
+++ b/deploy-production.sh
@@ -20,8 +20,11 @@ fi
 
 # Optional (empfohlen): Persistente Daten außerhalb des Git-Repos halten und per Symlink einbinden.
 # Das verhindert zuverlässig, dass Git jemals Produktivdaten überschreibt.
-DATA_ROOT="${DATA_ROOT:-/var/lib/harheimertc}"
-mkdir -p "$DATA_ROOT"
+DEPLOY_HOME="${DEPLOY_HOME:-${HOME:-/tmp}}"
+DATA_ROOT="${DATA_ROOT:-$DEPLOY_HOME/harheimertc-data}"
+BACKUP_ROOT="${BACKUP_ROOT:-$DEPLOY_HOME/harheimertc-backups}"
+
+mkdir -p "$DATA_ROOT" "$BACKUP_ROOT"
 
 ensure_symlink_dir() {
   local src="$1"      # z.B. server/data
@@ -54,23 +57,25 @@ echo ""
 # 1. BACKUP: Laufende Produktivdaten VOR allen Git-Operationen sichern
 echo "1. Backing up current production data (pre-git)..."
 
-# Fresh backup dir
-rm -rf .backup
-mkdir -p .backup
+# Human readable timestamp (lokal)
+BACKUP_TS="$(date +"%Y-%m-%d_%H-%M-%S")"
+BACKUP_DIR="$BACKUP_ROOT/backup_$BACKUP_TS"
+mkdir -p "$BACKUP_DIR"
+echo "   Backup directory: $BACKUP_DIR"
 
 # Backup server data (JSON) und CSVs immer vom Dateisystem, nicht aus 'stash'
 if [ -d server/data ]; then
-  cp -a server/data .backup/data_backup
-  echo "   Backed up server/data -> .backup/data_backup"
+  cp -a server/data "$BACKUP_DIR/server-data"
+  echo "   Backed up server/data -> $BACKUP_DIR/server-data"
 else
   echo "ERROR: server/data existiert nicht. Abbruch, damit wir keine Repo-Defaults ausrollen."
   exit 1
 fi
 
-mkdir -p .backup/public_data
 if ls public/data/*.csv >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-  cp -a public/data/*.csv .backup/public_data/
-  echo "   Backed up public/data/*.csv -> .backup/public_data/"
+  mkdir -p "$BACKUP_DIR/public-data"
+  cp -a public/data/*.csv "$BACKUP_DIR/public-data/"
+  echo "   Backed up public/data/*.csv -> $BACKUP_DIR/public-data/"
 else
   echo "   No public CSVs to backup (public/data/*.csv not found)"
 fi
@@ -115,20 +120,20 @@ echo ""
 echo "6. Restoring production data..."
 
 # Stelle server/data vollständig wieder her (inkl. config.json, users.json, news.json, sessions.json, members.json, membership-applications)
-if [ ! -d .backup/data_backup ]; then
-  echo "ERROR: Backup-Verzeichnis .backup/data_backup fehlt. Abbruch."
+if [ ! -d "$BACKUP_DIR/server-data" ]; then
+  echo "ERROR: Backup-Verzeichnis $BACKUP_DIR/server-data fehlt. Abbruch."
   exit 1
 fi
 
 mkdir -p server/data
-cp -a .backup/data_backup/. server/data/
-echo "   Restored server/data from backup."
+cp -a "$BACKUP_DIR/server-data/." server/data/
+echo "   Restored server/data from backup ($BACKUP_DIR/server-data)."
 
 # Stelle alle CSVs wieder her
-if ls .backup/public_data/*.csv >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+if ls "$BACKUP_DIR/public-data"/*.csv >/dev/null 2>&1; then
   mkdir -p public/data
-  cp -a .backup/public_data/*.csv public/data/
-  echo "   Restored public/data/*.csv from backup."
+  cp -a "$BACKUP_DIR/public-data"/*.csv public/data/
+  echo "   Restored public/data/*.csv from backup ($BACKUP_DIR/public-data)."
 else
   echo "No public CSVs to restore"
 fi
@@ -139,11 +144,9 @@ if [ ! -s server/data/users.json ]; then
   exit 1
 fi
 
-# 7. Cleanup backup and stash
+# 7. Cleanup stash (Backups werden bewusst behalten)
 echo ""
-echo "7. Cleaning up backup and stash..."
-rm -rf .backup
-
+echo "7. Cleaning up stash (keeping backups in $BACKUP_ROOT)..."
 # Clear the deployment stash (keep other stashes)
 echo "   Clearing deployment stash..."
 git stash list | grep "Production deployment stash" | head -1 | cut -d: -f1 | xargs -r git stash drop