diff --git a/backend-python/.gitignore b/backend-python/.gitignore
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index 00000000..21d0b898
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend-python/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+.venv/
diff --git a/backend-python/LICENSE b/backend-python/LICENSE
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..28210efe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend-python/LICENSE
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+MIT License
+
+Copyright (c) 2024 WüSpace e. V.
+
+Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+
+The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+
+THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+SOFTWARE.
diff --git a/backend-python/README.md b/backend-python/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..772f2919
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend-python/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# Telestion Python Backend
+
+This repository contains everything to build a working Telestion backend in Python.
+Additional examples help in setting everything up.
+
+The Python backend is mainly added to allow for easier interfacing with many scientific libraries, such as numpy,
+scipy, tensorflow or pytorch.
+Creating static graphs with Matplotlib that can be rendered in the frontend could also be created.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend-python/cucumber/.gitkeep b/backend-python/cucumber/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/backend-python/requirements.txt b/backend-python/requirements.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..44f97ee0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend-python/requirements.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+nats-py~=2.7.2  # TODO: decide if we want to specify versions
+pydantic~=2.6.4
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend-python/src/__init__.py b/backend-python/src/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/backend-python/src/telestion/__init__.py b/backend-python/src/telestion/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/backend-python/src/telestion/backend/__init__.py b/backend-python/src/telestion/backend/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/backend-python/src/telestion/backend/config.py b/backend-python/src/telestion/backend/config.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9fad703f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend-python/src/telestion/backend/config.py
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+import argparse
+import json
+import os
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any, TypeVar
+
+from pydantic import BaseModel, Field, ConfigDict
+
+
+class TelestionConfig(BaseModel):
+    dev: bool = False
+    nats_url: str = Field(alias="NATS_URL")
+    nats_user: str | None = Field(alias="NATS_USER", default=None)
+    nats_password: str | None = Field(alias="NATS_PASSWORD", default=None)
+    config_file: Path | None = Field(alias="CONFIG_FILE", default=None)
+    config_key: str | None = Field(alias="CONFIG_KEY", default=None)
+    service_name: str = Field(alias="SERVICE_NAME")
+    data_dir: Path = Field(alias="DATA_DIR")
+
+    unparsed_cli: list[str] = Field(alias="_telestion_validator_unparsed_cli")
+
+    # To include all envs and config parts -> it is recommended to add a custom subtype
+    model_config = ConfigDict(
+        extra='allow'
+    )
+
+
+# With this we allow users to extend TelestionConfig for finer control over custom config fields
+_TelestionConfigT = TypeVar("_TelestionConfigT", bound=TelestionConfig)
+
+
+def build_config(clazz: type[_TelestionConfigT] = None) -> _TelestionConfigT:
+    if clazz is None:
+        clazz = TelestionConfig
+
+    cli_args, additional_args = _parse_cli()
+
+    def _from_env_or_cli(key: str):
+        return cli_args.get(key, os.environ.get(key, None))
+
+    config_p = _from_env_or_cli('CONFIG_FILE')
+    config_key = _from_env_or_cli('CONFIG_KEY')
+
+    config_assembly: dict[str, Any] = dict()
+    if 'dev' in cli_args and cli_args['dev']:
+        # 1. Add default config
+        config_assembly.update(defaults())
+
+    if config_p is not None:
+        config_p = Path(config_p)
+        # 2. Insert config file
+        config_assembly.update(_parse_config_file(config_p, config_key))
+
+    # 3. Add Environment Variables
+    config_assembly.update(os.environ)
+
+    # 4. Add CLI args
+    config_assembly.update(cli_args)
+
+    # 5. Add args that cannot be parsed by the pipeline, i.e. service specific config
+    config_assembly['_telestion_validator_unparsed_cli'] = additional_args
+
+    return clazz(**config_assembly)
+
+
+def defaults() -> dict[str, Any]:
+    return {
+        'NATS_URL': "nats://localhost:4222",
+        'SERVICE_NAME': f"dev-{os.getpid()}",
+        'DATA_DIR': Path("./data")
+    }
+
+
+def _parse_cli() -> tuple[dict[str, Any], list[str]]:
+    description = "CLI Interface for the Telestion Services. This is one way to setup your Telestion application."
+    epilog = "For more information please visit https://github.com/wuespace/telestion or \
+    https://telestion.wuespace.de/"
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+        description=description,
+        epilog=epilog,
+        prog="Telestion-CLI (Python)",
+        argument_default=argparse.SUPPRESS
+    )
+
+    parser.add_argument("--dev", action='store_true', help="If set, program will start in development mode")
+    parser.add_argument("--version", action='version', version="%(prog)s v1.0-alpha")
+
+    parser.add_argument("--NATS_URL", help="NATS url of the server the service can connect to")
+    parser.add_argument("--NATS_USER", help="NATS user name for the authentication with the server")
+    parser.add_argument("--NATS_PASSWORD", help="NATS password for the authentication with the server \
+    (Note: It is recommended to set this via the environment variables or the config!)")
+
+    parser.add_argument("--CONFIG_FILE", help="file path to the config of the service", type=Path)
+    parser.add_argument("--CONFIG_KEY", help="object key of a config file")
+
+    parser.add_argument("--SERVICE_NAME", help="name of the service also used in the nats service registration")
+    parser.add_argument("--DATA_DIR", help="path where the service can store persistent data", type=Path)
+
+    namespace, args = parser.parse_known_args()
+    return vars(namespace), args
+
+
+def _parse_config_file(config_p: Path, key: str = None) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    with open(config_p, 'r') as config_f:
+        content = json.load(config_f)
+
+    if key is None:
+        return content
+
+    return content[key]
diff --git a/backend-python/src/telestion/backend/lib.py b/backend-python/src/telestion/backend/lib.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7c5923df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend-python/src/telestion/backend/lib.py
@@ -0,0 +1,162 @@
+import json
+from dataclasses import dataclass, replace
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any
+
+import nats
+from nats.aio.client import Client as NatsClient, Msg as NatsMsg, DEFAULT_FLUSH_TIMEOUT  # mostly for type hinting
+from nats.aio.subscription import Subscription
+
+from telestion.backend.config import TelestionConfig, build_config
+
+
+@dataclass
+class Service:
+    """Helper Class for starting NATS clients also exposing the parsed config."""
+    nc: NatsClient | None   # None if Options.nats = False
+    """Configured and started NATS client for this service."""
+    data_dir: Path
+    """Directory where all data (temporary and persistent) should be stored."""
+    service_name: str
+    """Name of this service. Note that it is not necessarily unique!"""
+    config: TelestionConfig
+    """TelestionConfig instance for this service """
+
+    # wrapper methods for NatsClient instance for convenience
+    async def publish(self, **kwargs) -> None:
+        """Wrapper for https://nats-io.github.io/nats.py/modules.html#nats.aio.client.Client.publish"""
+        await self.nc.publish(**kwargs)
+
+    async def subscribe(self, **kwargs) -> Subscription:
+        """Wrapper for https://nats-io.github.io/nats.py/modules.html#nats.aio.client.Client.subscribe"""
+        return await self.nc.subscribe(**kwargs)
+
+    async def request(self, **kwargs) -> NatsMsg:
+        """Wrapper for Client.request(subject, payload, timeout, old_style, headers)"""
+        return await self.nc.request(**kwargs)
+
+    async def flush(self, timeout: int = DEFAULT_FLUSH_TIMEOUT) -> None:
+        """Wrapper for https://nats-io.github.io/nats.py/modules.html#nats.aio.client.Client.flush"""
+        await self.nc.flush(timeout)
+
+    async def drain(self) -> None:
+        """Wrapper for https://nats-io.github.io/nats.py/modules.html#nats.aio.client.Client.drain"""
+        await self.nc.drain()
+
+    async def close(self) -> None:
+        """Wrapper for https://nats-io.github.io/nats.py/modules.html#nats.aio.client.Client.close"""
+        await self.nc.close()
+
+
+@dataclass
+class Options:
+    """Storing a custom configuration which overwrites the parsed config during startup of the Telestion service."""
+    nats: bool = True
+    """Whether a service should use nats. If set to False no nats client is set up during startup"""
+    # (officially) we don't support int keys, btw...
+    overwrite_args: dict[str, Any] | None = None
+    """Arguments overwriting the parsed config of a service."""
+    custom_nc: NatsClient | None = None
+    """Custom nats client. During startup no configuration takes place if present."""
+
+    def without_nats(self) -> 'Options':
+        """Returns a copy of this Options instance with nats switched off."""
+        return replace(self, nats=False, custom_nc=None)
+
+    def with_overwrite_args(self, **kwargs) -> 'Options':
+        """Returns a copy of this Options instance with different custom arguments."""
+        return replace(self, overwrite_args=kwargs)
+
+    def with_custom_nc(self, nats_client: NatsClient) -> 'Options':
+        """Returns a copy of this Options instance with a custom client."""
+        return replace(self, custom_nc=nats_client)
+
+
+async def setup_healthcheck(nc: NatsClient, service_name: str) -> NatsClient:
+    """Sets up __telestion__.health for a NatsClient. Returns NatsClient for fluent API."""
+    async def _respond_hc(msg):
+        msg.respond(
+            json_encode({
+                "errors": 0,
+                "name": service_name
+            })
+        )
+
+    await nc.subscribe(
+        '__telestion__.health',
+        cb=_respond_hc
+    )
+
+    return nc
+
+
+async def start_service(opts: Options = None) -> Service:
+    """Creates a Service for the given Options and the parsed config and spins up a new NATS client if configured so."""
+    if opts is None:
+        opts = Options()
+
+    config = build_config()
+    if opts.overwrite_args is not None:
+        config = config.model_copy(update=opts.overwrite_args)
+
+    service = Service(opts.custom_nc, config.data_dir, config.service_name, config)
+
+    if not opts.nats or opts.custom_nc is not None:
+        return service
+
+    nc = await nats.connect(servers=_prepare_nats_url(config))
+
+    return replace(service, nc=await setup_healthcheck(nc, config.service_name))
+
+
+# Macros
+def json_encode(msg: Any, encoding='utf-8', **dumps_kwargs) -> bytes:
+    """
+    Helper function to encode messages to json.
+    This convenience macro helps to reduce encoding/decoding boilerplate.
+    For finer control implement this function by your own and customize to your needs.
+
+    :param msg:             message to encode
+    :param encoding:        encoding to use (default: utf-8)
+    :param dumps_kwargs:    additional arguments to pass to json.dumps
+    :return: encoded json message as utf-8 bytes
+    """
+    return json.dumps(msg, **dumps_kwargs).encode(encoding=encoding)
+
+
+def json_decode(msg: str | bytes | bytearray, encoding='utf-8', **loads_kwargs) -> Any:
+    """
+    Helper function to decode messages from json into an object.
+    This convenience macro helps to reduce encoding/decoding boilerplate.
+    For finer control implement this function by your own and customize to your needs.
+
+    :param msg:             message to decode
+    :param encoding:        encoding used to encode the bytes
+    :param loads_kwargs:
+    :return:
+    """
+    if not isinstance(msg, str):
+        # ensure to support any encoding supported by python
+        msg = msg.decode(encoding=encoding)
+
+    return json.loads(msg, **loads_kwargs)
+
+
+def _prepare_nats_url(config: TelestionConfig) -> str:
+    """
+    Helper function that creates the valid url for the NATS client.
+    Because the Python interface does not support user authentication out of the box with a separate design this is done
+    via the connecting url.
+
+    :param config: parsed config from all sources
+    :return: created url from parsed config url, user and password
+    """
+    url = config.nats_url
+
+    if config.nats_user is None or config.nats_password is None:
+        return url
+
+    if '://' in url:
+        _, url = url.split('://', 1)
+
+    return f"nats://{config.username}:{config.password}@{url}"
diff --git a/backend-python/src/telestion/backend/test.py b/backend-python/src/telestion/backend/test.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..82e429f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend-python/src/telestion/backend/test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import asyncio
+
+from telestion.backend.config import build_config, TelestionConfig
+from telestion.backend.lib import start_service, Options
+
+
+async def main():
+    import sys
+    # Put dev server address here for testing
+    sys.argv.extend(['--dev', '--NATS_URL', 'nats://172.21.73.221:4222'])
+    _config = build_config(TelestionConfig)
+    print(_config)
+    service = await start_service(Options().with_overwrite_args(test="foo"))
+    await service.nc.close()
+    print(service.config)
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    asyncio.run(main())