diff --git a/backend/services/modelsProxyService.js b/backend/services/modelsProxyService.js
index 68ceb76..5dcdec1 100755
--- a/backend/services/modelsProxyService.js
+++ b/backend/services/modelsProxyService.js
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ const PROJECT_ROOT = path.join(BACKEND_DIR, '..');
 const MODELS_REL = path.join('models', '3d', 'falukant', 'characters');
 const DIST_MODELS = path.join(PROJECT_ROOT, 'frontend', 'dist', MODELS_REL);
 const PUBLIC_MODELS = path.join(PROJECT_ROOT, 'frontend', 'public', MODELS_REL);
+const SOURCE_MODELS = path.join(PROJECT_ROOT, 'frontend', 'models-src', '3d', 'falukant', 'characters');
 const CACHE_DIR = path.join(BACKEND_DIR, 'data', 'model-cache');
 const CLI_PATH = path.join(BACKEND_DIR, 'node_modules', '.bin', 'gltf-transform');
 
@@ -103,16 +104,17 @@ export async function getOptimizedModelPath(filename) {
     return sourcePath;
   }
 
+  const rawSourcePath = path.join(SOURCE_MODELS, filename);
+  if (!fs.existsSync(rawSourcePath)) {
+    throw new Error(`Raw source model not found: ${filename} (looked in ${SOURCE_MODELS})`);
+  }
+
   const cacheFilename = filename.replace(/\.glb$/, '_opt.glb');
   const cachePath = path.join(CACHE_DIR, cacheFilename);
 
-  if (!fs.existsSync(sourcePath)) {
-    throw new Error(`Source model not found: ${filename} (looked in ${sourceDir})`);
-  }
-
   ensureCacheDir();
 
-  if (isCacheValid(sourcePath, cachePath)) {
+  if (isCacheValid(rawSourcePath, cachePath)) {
     return cachePath;
   }
 
@@ -120,7 +122,7 @@ export async function getOptimizedModelPath(filename) {
   if (!promise) {
     promise = (async () => {
       try {
-        await runOptimize(sourcePath, cachePath);
+        await runOptimize(rawSourcePath, cachePath);
         return cachePath;
       } finally {
         pending.delete(filename);
diff --git a/frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/README.md b/frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6b313e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# Falukant 3D Source Models
+
+Dieses Verzeichnis enthaelt die unoptimierten Quellmodelle fuer Falukant.
+
+Regeln:
+- Hier liegen die bearbeitbaren `*.glb`-Originale.
+- Dieses Verzeichnis wird nicht direkt vom Frontend ausgeliefert.
+- Die Web-Versionen werden per `npm run optimize-models` nach
+  `frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/` geschrieben.
+
+Pipeline:
+1. Quelldateien hier ablegen oder aktualisieren
+2. `npm run optimize-models`
+3. Danach Frontend-Build / Deploy
+
+Namenskonvention:
+- `male.glb`, `female.glb`
+- `male_adult.glb`, `female_toddler.glb`, usw.
+- exakte Altersvarianten wie `female_1y.glb`
+
+Die ausgelieferten Dateien heissen immer `*_opt.glb`.
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female.glb b/frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/female.glb
similarity index 100%
rename from frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female.glb
rename to frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/female.glb
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_1y.glb b/frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/female_1y.glb
similarity index 100%
rename from frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_1y.glb
rename to frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/female_1y.glb
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_2y.glb b/frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/female_2y.glb
similarity index 100%
rename from frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_2y.glb
rename to frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/female_2y.glb
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_5y.glb b/frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/female_5y.glb
similarity index 100%
rename from frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_5y.glb
rename to frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/female_5y.glb
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_adult.glb b/frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/female_adult.glb
similarity index 100%
rename from frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_adult.glb
rename to frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/female_adult.glb
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_child.glb b/frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/female_child.glb
similarity index 100%
rename from frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_child.glb
rename to frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/female_child.glb
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_child_original.glb b/frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/female_child_original.glb
similarity index 100%
rename from frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_child_original.glb
rename to frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/female_child_original.glb
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_preteen.glb b/frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/female_preteen.glb
similarity index 100%
rename from frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_preteen.glb
rename to frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/female_preteen.glb
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_teen.glb b/frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/female_teen.glb
similarity index 100%
rename from frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_teen.glb
rename to frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/female_teen.glb
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_toddler.glb b/frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/female_toddler.glb
similarity index 100%
rename from frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_toddler.glb
rename to frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/female_toddler.glb
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_toddler_old.glb b/frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/female_toddler_old.glb
similarity index 100%
rename from frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_toddler_old.glb
rename to frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/female_toddler_old.glb
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male.glb b/frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/male.glb
similarity index 100%
rename from frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male.glb
rename to frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/male.glb
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_adult.glb b/frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/male_adult.glb
similarity index 100%
rename from frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_adult.glb
rename to frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/male_adult.glb
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_child.glb b/frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/male_child.glb
similarity index 100%
rename from frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_child.glb
rename to frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/male_child.glb
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_preteen.glb b/frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/male_preteen.glb
similarity index 100%
rename from frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_preteen.glb
rename to frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/male_preteen.glb
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_teen.glb b/frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/male_teen.glb
similarity index 100%
rename from frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_teen.glb
rename to frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/male_teen.glb
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_toddler.glb b/frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/male_toddler.glb
similarity index 100%
rename from frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_toddler.glb
rename to frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/male_toddler.glb
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/README.md b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/README.md
old mode 100755
new mode 100644
index e5dcd5d..d6bedea
--- a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/README.md
+++ b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/README.md
@@ -1,87 +1,16 @@
-# 3D-Charakter-Modelle
+# Falukant 3D Web Models
 
-## Verzeichnisstruktur
+Dieses Verzeichnis enthaelt nur die ausgelieferten, optimierten Web-Modelle.
 
-Dieses Verzeichnis enthält die 3D-Modelle für Falukant-Charaktere.
+- Dateien in diesem Ordner werden vom Frontend und vom Backend-Proxy ausgeliefert.
+- Sie werden aus `frontend/models-src/3d/falukant/characters/` erzeugt.
+- Quelldateien gehoeren nicht hierher.
 
-## Dateinamen-Konvention
-
-### Basis-Modelle (Fallback)
-- `male.glb` - Basis-Modell männlich
-- `female.glb` - Basis-Modell weiblich
-
-### Altersspezifische Modelle
-
-#### Altersbereich-Modelle (Fallback für Altersgruppen)
-- `male_toddler.glb` - Männlich, Kleinkind (0-3 Jahre)
-- `male_child.glb` - Männlich, Kind (4-7 Jahre)
-- `male_preteen.glb` - Männlich, Vor-Teenager (8-12 Jahre)
-- `male_teen.glb` - Männlich, Teenager (13-17 Jahre)
-- `male_adult.glb` - Männlich, Erwachsen (18+ Jahre)
-- `female_toddler.glb` - Weiblich, Kleinkind (0-3 Jahre)
-- `female_child.glb` - Weiblich, Kind (4-7 Jahre)
-- `female_preteen.glb` - Weiblich, Vor-Teenager (8-12 Jahre)
-- `female_teen.glb` - Weiblich, Teenager (13-17 Jahre)
-- `female_adult.glb` - Weiblich, Erwachsen (18+ Jahre)
-
-#### Genaue Alters-Modelle (optional, für spezifische Altersstufen)
-- `male_1y.glb`, `male_2y.glb`, `male_3y.glb`, etc. - Männlich, genaues Alter in Jahren
-- `female_1y.glb`, `female_2y.glb`, `female_5y.glb`, etc. - Weiblich, genaues Alter in Jahren
-
-**Hinweis:** Genaue Alters-Modelle haben Vorrang vor Altersbereich-Modellen. Wenn z.B. für Alter 1 sowohl `female_1y.glb` als auch `female_toddler.glb` existieren, wird `female_1y.glb` verwendet.
-
-## Fallback-Verhalten
-
-Die Komponente verwendet eine dreistufige Fallback-Hierarchie:
-
-1. **Genaues Alter:** Zuerst wird nach einem Modell für das genaue Alter gesucht (z.B. `female_1y.glb` für Alter 1)
-2. **Altersbereich:** Falls kein genaues Alters-Modell existiert, wird das Altersbereich-Modell verwendet (z.B. `female_toddler.glb` für Alter 1-3)
-3. **Basis-Modell:** Falls auch kein Altersbereich-Modell existiert, wird das Basis-Modell verwendet (`male.glb` / `female.glb`)
-
-## Dateigröße
-
-- **Aktuell:** ~14–17 MB pro Modell → lange Ladezeiten
-- **Empfohlen:** < 500 KB pro Modell
-- **Maximal:** ~1–2 MB pro Modell (Web, 60 FPS)
-
-## Optimierung (wichtig für kürzere Ladezeiten)
-
-### Option A: gltf-transform (CLI, Draco + Textur-Optimierung)
+Erzeugung:
 
 ```bash
-npm install -g @gltf-transform/cli
-# Pro Modell (Beispiel):
-gltf-transform optimize male_adult.glb male_adult_opt.glb --compress draco --texture-size 1024
+cd frontend
+npm run optimize-models
 ```
 
-Danach optimierte Dateien z. B. als `*_opt.glb` ablegen und im Frontend verwenden.  
-**Hinweis:** Bei Draco-Compression muss im Frontend `DRACOLoader` von Three.js genutzt werden (siehe Three.js-Doku zu `KHR_draco_mesh_compression`).
-
-### Option B: Blender
-
-1. Modell in Blender öffnen
-2. Decimate-Modifier anwenden (Polygonanzahl reduzieren)
-3. Texturen komprimieren (WebP, max. 1024×1024)
-4. GLB-Export mit aktivierter Kompression
-5. Optional: Online-Tools (z. B. [glb.babylonpress.org](https://glb.babylonpress.org)) für Draco-Kompression
-
-### Option C: Nur Texturen verkleinern (ohne Draco)
-
-Ohne Draco-Extension reicht oft schon:
-
-```bash
-gltf-transform optimize input.glb output.glb --texture-size 1024
-```
-
-## Model-Proxy (Backend)
-
-Das Frontend lädt Modelle über **`GET /api/models/3d/falukant/characters/:filename`**. Ein Backend-Proxy:
-
-1. Liest die angeforderte `.glb`-Datei aus diesem Verzeichnis.
-2. Optimiert sie bei Bedarf mit gltf-transform (Draco + Textur 1024).
-3. Legt das Ergebnis in `backend/data/model-cache/` ab (File-Cache).
-4. Liefert die optimierte Datei aus und setzt `Cache-Control` für Browser-Caching.
-
-- **Service:** `backend/services/modelsProxyService.js`
-- **Router:** `backend/routers/modelsProxyRouter.js`
-- **Cache:** `backend/data/model-cache/` (wird bei neuerer Quelldatei automatisch neu erzeugt)
+Das Frontend laedt nur `*_opt.glb`.
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_1y_opt.glb b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_1y_opt.glb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..da28ff7
Binary files /dev/null and b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_1y_opt.glb differ
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_2y_opt.glb b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_2y_opt.glb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1dae733
Binary files /dev/null and b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_2y_opt.glb differ
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_5y_opt.glb b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_5y_opt.glb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b1c40d4
Binary files /dev/null and b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_5y_opt.glb differ
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_adult_opt.glb b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_adult_opt.glb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..15fba94
Binary files /dev/null and b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_adult_opt.glb differ
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_child_opt.glb b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_child_opt.glb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fe488f2
Binary files /dev/null and b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_child_opt.glb differ
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_child_original_opt.glb b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_child_original_opt.glb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2c4c696
Binary files /dev/null and b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_child_original_opt.glb differ
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_opt.glb b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_opt.glb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..15fba94
Binary files /dev/null and b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_opt.glb differ
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_preteen_opt.glb b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_preteen_opt.glb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f057c12
Binary files /dev/null and b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_preteen_opt.glb differ
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_teen_opt.glb b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_teen_opt.glb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5cbbe92
Binary files /dev/null and b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_teen_opt.glb differ
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_toddler_old_opt.glb b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_toddler_old_opt.glb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..998e91a
Binary files /dev/null and b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_toddler_old_opt.glb differ
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_toddler_opt.glb b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_toddler_opt.glb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..28bd5b7
Binary files /dev/null and b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/female_toddler_opt.glb differ
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_adult_opt.glb b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_adult_opt.glb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..817641f
Binary files /dev/null and b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_adult_opt.glb differ
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_child_opt.glb b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_child_opt.glb
old mode 100755
new mode 100644
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_opt.glb b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_opt.glb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..817641f
Binary files /dev/null and b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_opt.glb differ
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_preteen_opt.glb b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_preteen_opt.glb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a9b69b5
Binary files /dev/null and b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_preteen_opt.glb differ
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_teen_opt.glb b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_teen_opt.glb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7766252
Binary files /dev/null and b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_teen_opt.glb differ
diff --git a/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_toddler_opt.glb b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_toddler_opt.glb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3a18ef9
Binary files /dev/null and b/frontend/public/models/3d/falukant/characters/male_toddler_opt.glb differ
diff --git a/frontend/scripts/optimize-glb.mjs b/frontend/scripts/optimize-glb.mjs
index c646087..4d10518 100755
--- a/frontend/scripts/optimize-glb.mjs
+++ b/frontend/scripts/optimize-glb.mjs
@@ -13,18 +13,42 @@ import { fileURLToPath } from 'url';
 import path from 'path';
 
 const __dirname = path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
-const charsDir = path.join(__dirname, '..', 'public', 'models', '3d', 'falukant', 'characters');
+const sourceDir = path.join(__dirname, '..', 'models-src', '3d', 'falukant', 'characters');
+const outputDir = path.join(__dirname, '..', 'public', 'models', '3d', 'falukant', 'characters');
 const cli = path.join(__dirname, '..', 'node_modules', '.bin', 'gltf-transform');
 
 function listSourceModels() {
-  return fs.readdirSync(charsDir)
+  return fs.readdirSync(sourceDir)
     .filter((file) => file.endsWith('.glb'))
     .filter((file) => !file.endsWith('_opt.glb'))
     .sort((a, b) => a.localeCompare(b));
 }
 
+function ensureOutputDir() {
+  fs.mkdirSync(outputDir, { recursive: true });
+}
+
+function removeStaleOptimizedModels() {
+  if (!fs.existsSync(outputDir)) {
+    return;
+  }
+  for (const file of fs.readdirSync(outputDir)) {
+    if (file.endsWith('_opt.glb')) {
+      fs.unlinkSync(path.join(outputDir, file));
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 console.log('Optimize Falukant character GLBs (Draco + texture 1024)\n');
 
+if (!fs.existsSync(sourceDir)) {
+  console.error(`Source directory not found: ${sourceDir}`);
+  process.exit(1);
+}
+
+ensureOutputDir();
+removeStaleOptimizedModels();
+
 const models = listSourceModels();
 if (models.length === 0) {
   console.log('No source GLBs found.');
@@ -32,9 +56,9 @@ if (models.length === 0) {
 }
 
 for (const f of models) {
-  const input = path.join(charsDir, f);
+  const input = path.join(sourceDir, f);
   const out = f.replace(/\.glb$/, '_opt.glb');
-  const output = path.join(charsDir, out);
+  const output = path.join(outputDir, out);
 
   try {
     const result = spawnSync(
@@ -54,4 +78,4 @@ for (const f of models) {
   }
 }
 
-console.log('\nDone. Use *_opt.glb in Character3D (with DRACOLoader).');
+console.log(`\nDone. Optimized models written to ${outputDir}`);