diff --git a/src/index.html b/src/index.html
index 36d4259..56668cb 100644
--- a/src/index.html
+++ b/src/index.html
@@ -436,6 +436,13 @@
                             <label id="partMinutesLabel">Teil-Lange (Minuten)</label>
                             <input type="number" id="partMinutes" value="120" min="10" max="480">
                         </div>
+                        <div class="form-group">
+                            <label id="parallelDownloadsLabel">Parallele Downloads</label>
+                            <select id="parallelDownloads">
+                                <option value="1" id="parallelDownloads1">1 (Standard)</option>
+                                <option value="2" id="parallelDownloads2">2 (Parallel)</option>
+                            </select>
+                        </div>
                         <div class="form-group">
                             <label id="performanceModeLabel">Performance-Profil</label>
                             <select id="performanceMode">
diff --git a/src/main.ts b/src/main.ts
index 51c31aa..ab74b44 100644
--- a/src/main.ts
+++ b/src/main.ts
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ interface Config {
     prevent_duplicate_downloads: boolean;
     persist_queue_on_restart: boolean;
     metadata_cache_minutes: number;
+    parallel_downloads: number;
 }
 
 interface RuntimeMetrics {
@@ -207,7 +208,8 @@ const defaultConfig: Config = {
     performance_mode: DEFAULT_PERFORMANCE_MODE,
     prevent_duplicate_downloads: true,
     persist_queue_on_restart: true,
-    metadata_cache_minutes: DEFAULT_METADATA_CACHE_MINUTES
+    metadata_cache_minutes: DEFAULT_METADATA_CACHE_MINUTES,
+    parallel_downloads: 1
 };
 
 function normalizeFilenameTemplate(template: string | undefined, fallback: string): string {
@@ -379,6 +381,9 @@ let pauseRequested = false;
 let activeQueueItemId: string | null = null;
 let downloadStartTime = 0;
 let downloadedBytes = 0;
+// Per-item tracking for parallel downloads
+const activeDownloads = new Map<string, { process: ChildProcess | null; cancelled: boolean; startTime: number; bytes: number }>();
+const cancelledItemIds = new Set<string>();
 const userIdLoginCache = new Map<string, string>();
 const loginToUserIdCache = new Map<string, CacheEntry<string>>();
 const vodListCache = new Map<string, CacheEntry<VOD[]>>();
@@ -2595,7 +2600,11 @@ function downloadVODPart(
         const proc = spawn(streamlinkCmd.command, args, { windowsHide: true });
         currentProcess = proc;
 
-        downloadStartTime = Date.now();
+        // Register in per-item tracking map for parallel downloads
+        const itemTracking = { process: proc, cancelled: false, startTime: Date.now(), bytes: 0 };
+        activeDownloads.set(itemId, itemTracking);
+
+        downloadStartTime = itemTracking.startTime;
         downloadedBytes = 0;
         let lastBytes = 0;
         let lastTime = Date.now();
@@ -2606,6 +2615,7 @@ function downloadVODPart(
                 try {
                     const stats = fs.statSync(filename);
                     downloadedBytes = stats.size;
+                    itemTracking.bytes = stats.size;
 
                     const now = Date.now();
                     const timeDiff = (now - lastTime) / 1000;
@@ -2624,7 +2634,8 @@ function downloadVODPart(
 
                     let etaStr = '';
                     if (speed > 0 && downloadedBytes > 0) {
-                        const elapsedSec = (Date.now() - downloadStartTime) / 1000;
+                        const itemStartTime = itemTracking.startTime;
+                        const elapsedSec = (Date.now() - itemStartTime) / 1000;
                         if (elapsedSec > 3) {
                             const avgSpeed = downloadedBytes / elapsedSec;
                             if (expectedDurationSeconds && expectedDurationSeconds > 0) {
@@ -2684,8 +2695,10 @@ function downloadVODPart(
         proc.on('close', async (code) => {
             clearInterval(progressInterval);
             currentProcess = null;
+            activeDownloads.delete(itemId);
 
-            if (currentDownloadCancelled) {
+            if (currentDownloadCancelled || cancelledItemIds.has(itemId)) {
+                cancelledItemIds.delete(itemId);
                 appendDebugLog('download-part-cancelled', { itemId, filename });
                 resolve({ success: false, error: 'Download wurde abgebrochen.' });
                 return;
@@ -2727,6 +2740,7 @@ function downloadVODPart(
             clearInterval(progressInterval);
             console.error('Process error:', err);
             currentProcess = null;
+            activeDownloads.delete(itemId);
             const rawError = String(err);
             const errorMessage = rawError.includes('ENOENT')
                 ? 'Streamlink nicht gefunden. Installiere Streamlink oder Python+streamlink (py -3 -m pip install streamlink).'
@@ -2856,7 +2870,7 @@ async function downloadVOD(
             const downloadedFiles: string[] = [];
 
             for (let i = 0; i < numParts; i++) {
-                if (currentDownloadCancelled) break;
+                if (currentDownloadCancelled || cancelledItemIds.has(item.id)) break;
 
                 const partNum = clip.startPart + i;
                 const startOffset = clip.startSec + (i * partDuration);
@@ -2918,7 +2932,7 @@ async function downloadVOD(
         const downloadedFiles: string[] = [];
 
         for (let i = 0; i < numParts; i++) {
-            if (currentDownloadCancelled) break;
+            if (currentDownloadCancelled || cancelledItemIds.has(item.id)) break;
 
             const startSec = i * partDuration;
             const endSec = Math.min((i + 1) * partDuration, totalDuration);
@@ -2998,7 +3012,7 @@ async function processDownloadMergeGroup(
         }
 
         for (let i = 0; i < mg.items.length; i++) {
-            if (currentDownloadCancelled) {
+            if (currentDownloadCancelled || cancelledItemIds.has(item.id)) {
                 return { success: false, error: 'Download wurde abgebrochen.' };
             }
 
@@ -3008,7 +3022,8 @@ async function processDownloadMergeGroup(
                 continue;
             }
 
-            currentDownloadCancelled = false; // Reset stale cancel state
+            // Reset stale per-item cancel state (global cancel already checked above)
+            cancelledItemIds.delete(item.id);
             mg.currentItemIndex = i;
             mg.mergePhase = 'downloading';
             saveQueue(downloadQueue);
@@ -3109,7 +3124,7 @@ async function processDownloadMergeGroup(
     saveQueue(downloadQueue);
     emitQueueUpdated();
 
-    if (currentDownloadCancelled) {
+    if (currentDownloadCancelled || cancelledItemIds.has(item.id)) {
         return { success: false, error: 'Download wurde abgebrochen.' };
     }
 
@@ -3195,137 +3210,165 @@ async function processDownloadMergeGroup(
     return { success: true };
 }
 
+async function processOneQueueItem(item: QueueItem): Promise<void> {
+    appendDebugLog('queue-item-start', {
+        itemId: item.id,
+        title: item.title,
+        url: item.url,
+        smartScore: config.smart_queue_scheduler ? getQueuePriorityScore(item) : 0
+    });
+
+    runtimeMetrics.downloadsStarted += 1;
+    runtimeMetrics.activeItemId = item.id;
+    runtimeMetrics.activeItemTitle = item.title;
+    activeQueueItemId = item.id;
+
+    cancelledItemIds.delete(item.id);
+    item.status = 'downloading';
+    saveQueue(downloadQueue);
+    emitQueueUpdated();
+
+    item.last_error = '';
+
+    let finalResult: DownloadResult = { success: false, error: 'Unbekannter Fehler beim Download' };
+    const maxAttempts = getRetryAttemptLimit();
+
+    for (let attempt = 1; attempt <= maxAttempts; attempt++) {
+        appendDebugLog('queue-item-attempt', { itemId: item.id, attempt, max: maxAttempts });
+
+        const result = item.mergeGroup
+            ? await processDownloadMergeGroup(item, (progress) => {
+                mainWindow?.webContents.send('download-progress', progress);
+            })
+            : await downloadVOD(item, (progress) => {
+                mainWindow?.webContents.send('download-progress', progress);
+            });
+
+        if (result.success) {
+            finalResult = result;
+            break;
+        }
+
+        finalResult = result;
+
+        if (!isDownloading || currentDownloadCancelled || cancelledItemIds.has(item.id) || pauseRequested) {
+            finalResult = { success: false, error: pauseRequested ? 'Download wurde pausiert.' : 'Download wurde abgebrochen.' };
+            break;
+        }
+
+        const errorClass = classifyDownloadError(result.error || '');
+        runtimeMetrics.lastErrorClass = errorClass;
+
+        if (errorClass === 'tooling' || errorClass === 'validation') {
+            appendDebugLog('queue-item-no-retry', {
+                itemId: item.id,
+                errorClass,
+                error: result.error || 'unknown'
+            });
+            break;
+        }
+
+        if (attempt < maxAttempts) {
+            const retryDelaySeconds = getRetryDelaySeconds(errorClass, attempt);
+            runtimeMetrics.retriesScheduled += 1;
+            runtimeMetrics.lastRetryDelaySeconds = retryDelaySeconds;
+
+            item.last_error = `Versuch ${attempt}/${maxAttempts} fehlgeschlagen (${errorClass}): ${result.error || 'Unbekannter Fehler'}`;
+            mainWindow?.webContents.send('download-progress', {
+                id: item.id,
+                progress: -1,
+                speed: '',
+                eta: '',
+                status: `Neuer Versuch in ${retryDelaySeconds}s (${errorClass})...`,
+                currentPart: item.currentPart,
+                totalParts: item.totalParts
+            } as DownloadProgress);
+            saveQueue(downloadQueue);
+            emitQueueUpdated();
+            await sleep(retryDelaySeconds * 1000);
+        } else {
+            runtimeMetrics.retriesExhausted += 1;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (!hasQueueItemId(item.id)) {
+        appendDebugLog('queue-item-finished-removed', { itemId: item.id });
+        activeDownloads.delete(item.id);
+        cancelledItemIds.delete(item.id);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    const wasPaused = pauseRequested || (finalResult.error || '').includes('pausiert');
+    item.status = finalResult.success ? 'completed' : (wasPaused ? 'paused' : 'error');
+    item.progress = finalResult.success ? 100 : item.progress;
+    item.last_error = finalResult.success || wasPaused ? '' : (finalResult.error || 'Unbekannter Fehler beim Download');
+
+    if (finalResult.success) {
+        runtimeMetrics.downloadsCompleted += 1;
+    } else if (!wasPaused) {
+        runtimeMetrics.downloadsFailed += 1;
+    }
+
+    activeDownloads.delete(item.id);
+    cancelledItemIds.delete(item.id);
+
+    appendDebugLog('queue-item-finished', {
+        itemId: item.id,
+        status: item.status,
+        error: item.last_error
+    });
+
+    saveQueue(downloadQueue);
+    emitQueueUpdated();
+}
+
 async function processQueue(): Promise<void> {
     if (isDownloading || !downloadQueue.some((item) => item.status === 'pending')) return;
 
     appendDebugLog('queue-start', {
         items: downloadQueue.length,
         smartScheduler: config.smart_queue_scheduler,
-        performanceMode: config.performance_mode
+        performanceMode: config.performance_mode,
+        parallelDownloads: config.parallel_downloads || 1
     });
 
     isDownloading = true;
     pauseRequested = false;
+    currentDownloadCancelled = false;
+    cancelledItemIds.clear();
     mainWindow?.webContents.send('download-started');
     emitQueueUpdated();
 
+    const maxSlots = Math.min(Math.max(1, config.parallel_downloads || 1), 2);
+    const activePromises = new Map<string, Promise<void>>();
+
     while (isDownloading && !pauseRequested) {
-        const item = pickNextPendingQueueItem();
-        if (!item) {
-            break;
-        }
-
-        appendDebugLog('queue-item-start', {
-            itemId: item.id,
-            title: item.title,
-            url: item.url,
-            smartScore: config.smart_queue_scheduler ? getQueuePriorityScore(item) : 0
-        });
-
-        runtimeMetrics.downloadsStarted += 1;
-        runtimeMetrics.activeItemId = item.id;
-        runtimeMetrics.activeItemTitle = item.title;
-        activeQueueItemId = item.id;
-
-        currentDownloadCancelled = false;
-        item.status = 'downloading';
-        saveQueue(downloadQueue);
-        emitQueueUpdated();
-
-        item.last_error = '';
-
-        let finalResult: DownloadResult = { success: false, error: 'Unbekannter Fehler beim Download' };
-        const maxAttempts = getRetryAttemptLimit();
-
-        for (let attempt = 1; attempt <= maxAttempts; attempt++) {
-            appendDebugLog('queue-item-attempt', { itemId: item.id, attempt, max: maxAttempts });
-
-            const result = item.mergeGroup
-                ? await processDownloadMergeGroup(item, (progress) => {
-                    mainWindow?.webContents.send('download-progress', progress);
-                })
-                : await downloadVOD(item, (progress) => {
-                    mainWindow?.webContents.send('download-progress', progress);
-                });
-
-            if (result.success) {
-                finalResult = result;
-                break;
-            }
-
-            finalResult = result;
-
-            if (!isDownloading || currentDownloadCancelled || pauseRequested) {
-                finalResult = { success: false, error: pauseRequested ? 'Download wurde pausiert.' : 'Download wurde abgebrochen.' };
-                break;
-            }
-
-            const errorClass = classifyDownloadError(result.error || '');
-            runtimeMetrics.lastErrorClass = errorClass;
-
-            if (errorClass === 'tooling' || errorClass === 'validation') {
-                appendDebugLog('queue-item-no-retry', {
-                    itemId: item.id,
-                    errorClass,
-                    error: result.error || 'unknown'
-                });
-                break;
-            }
-
-            if (attempt < maxAttempts) {
-                const retryDelaySeconds = getRetryDelaySeconds(errorClass, attempt);
-                runtimeMetrics.retriesScheduled += 1;
-                runtimeMetrics.lastRetryDelaySeconds = retryDelaySeconds;
-
-                item.last_error = `Versuch ${attempt}/${maxAttempts} fehlgeschlagen (${errorClass}): ${result.error || 'Unbekannter Fehler'}`;
-                mainWindow?.webContents.send('download-progress', {
-                    id: item.id,
-                    progress: -1,
-                    speed: '',
-                    eta: '',
-                    status: `Neuer Versuch in ${retryDelaySeconds}s (${errorClass})...`,
-                    currentPart: item.currentPart,
-                    totalParts: item.totalParts
-                } as DownloadProgress);
-                saveQueue(downloadQueue);
-                emitQueueUpdated();
-                await sleep(retryDelaySeconds * 1000);
-            } else {
-                runtimeMetrics.retriesExhausted += 1;
+        // Clean up finished promises
+        for (const [id] of activePromises) {
+            const queueItem = downloadQueue.find(i => i.id === id);
+            if (!queueItem || queueItem.status !== 'downloading') {
+                activePromises.delete(id);
             }
         }
 
-        if (!hasQueueItemId(item.id)) {
-            appendDebugLog('queue-item-finished-removed', { itemId: item.id });
-            runtimeMetrics.activeItemId = null;
-            runtimeMetrics.activeItemTitle = null;
-            activeQueueItemId = null;
-            continue;
+        // Fill available slots
+        while (activePromises.size < maxSlots && !pauseRequested) {
+            const item = pickNextPendingQueueItem();
+            if (!item) break;
+
+            const itemPromise = processOneQueueItem(item);
+            activePromises.set(item.id, itemPromise);
         }
 
-        const wasPaused = pauseRequested || (finalResult.error || '').includes('pausiert');
-        item.status = finalResult.success ? 'completed' : (wasPaused ? 'paused' : 'error');
-        item.progress = finalResult.success ? 100 : item.progress;
-        item.last_error = finalResult.success || wasPaused ? '' : (finalResult.error || 'Unbekannter Fehler beim Download');
+        if (activePromises.size === 0) break;
 
-        if (finalResult.success) {
-            runtimeMetrics.downloadsCompleted += 1;
-        } else if (!wasPaused) {
-            runtimeMetrics.downloadsFailed += 1;
-        }
+        // Wait for any one download to finish before re-checking
+        await Promise.race([...activePromises.values()]);
+    }
 
-        runtimeMetrics.activeItemId = null;
-        runtimeMetrics.activeItemTitle = null;
-        activeQueueItemId = null;
-
-        appendDebugLog('queue-item-finished', {
-            itemId: item.id,
-            status: item.status,
-            error: item.last_error
-        });
-
-        saveQueue(downloadQueue);
-        emitQueueUpdated();
+    // Wait for all remaining active downloads to complete
+    if (activePromises.size > 0) {
+        await Promise.allSettled([...activePromises.values()]);
     }
 
     isDownloading = false;
@@ -3333,6 +3376,8 @@ async function processQueue(): Promise<void> {
     runtimeMetrics.activeItemId = null;
     runtimeMetrics.activeItemTitle = null;
     activeQueueItemId = null;
+    activeDownloads.clear();
+    cancelledItemIds.clear();
 
     saveQueue(downloadQueue);
     emitQueueUpdated();
@@ -3774,13 +3819,21 @@ ipcMain.handle('add-to-queue', (_, item: Omit<QueueItem, 'id' | 'status' | 'prog
 });
 
 ipcMain.handle('remove-from-queue', (_, id: string) => {
-    const wasActiveItem = activeQueueItemId === id;
+    const wasActiveItem = activeQueueItemId === id || activeDownloads.has(id);
 
     if (wasActiveItem) {
+        // Cancel via per-item tracking
+        cancelledItemIds.add(id);
+        const tracking = activeDownloads.get(id);
+        if (tracking?.process) {
+            tracking.process.kill();
+        }
+        // Also set global for backwards compat
         currentDownloadCancelled = true;
         if (currentProcess) {
             currentProcess.kill();
         }
+        activeDownloads.delete(id);
         activeQueueItemId = null;
         runtimeMetrics.activeItemId = null;
         runtimeMetrics.activeItemTitle = null;
@@ -3948,6 +4001,13 @@ ipcMain.handle('pause-download', () => {
 
     pauseRequested = true;
     currentDownloadCancelled = true;
+    // Kill all active download processes
+    for (const [id, tracking] of activeDownloads) {
+        cancelledItemIds.add(id);
+        if (tracking.process) {
+            tracking.process.kill();
+        }
+    }
     if (currentProcess) {
         currentProcess.kill();
     }
@@ -3958,6 +4018,13 @@ ipcMain.handle('cancel-download', () => {
     isDownloading = false;
     pauseRequested = false;
     currentDownloadCancelled = true;
+    // Kill all active download processes
+    for (const [id, tracking] of activeDownloads) {
+        cancelledItemIds.add(id);
+        if (tracking.process) {
+            tracking.process.kill();
+        }
+    }
     if (currentProcess) {
         currentProcess.kill();
     }
@@ -4190,6 +4257,12 @@ app.on('window-all-closed', () => {
     stopDebugLogFlushTimer(true);
     stopAutoUpdatePolling();
 
+    // Kill all active download processes
+    for (const [, tracking] of activeDownloads) {
+        if (tracking.process) {
+            tracking.process.kill();
+        }
+    }
     if (currentProcess) {
         currentProcess.kill();
     }
diff --git a/src/renderer-globals.d.ts b/src/renderer-globals.d.ts
index 2f1e244..370dab5 100644
--- a/src/renderer-globals.d.ts
+++ b/src/renderer-globals.d.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ interface AppConfig {
     prevent_duplicate_downloads?: boolean;
     persist_queue_on_restart?: boolean;
     metadata_cache_minutes?: number;
+    parallel_downloads?: number;
     [key: string]: unknown;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/renderer-locale-de.ts b/src/renderer-locale-de.ts
index b0a87b3..b7d22e7 100644
--- a/src/renderer-locale-de.ts
+++ b/src/renderer-locale-de.ts
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ const UI_TEXT_DE = {
         modeFull: 'Ganzes VOD',
         modeParts: 'In Teile splitten',
         partMinutesLabel: 'Teil-Lange (Minuten)',
+        parallelDownloadsLabel: 'Parallele Downloads',
+        parallelDownloads1: '1 (Standard)',
+        parallelDownloads2: '2 (Parallel)',
         performanceModeLabel: 'Performance-Profil',
         performanceModeStability: 'Max Stabilitat',
         performanceModeBalanced: 'Ausgewogen',
diff --git a/src/renderer-locale-en.ts b/src/renderer-locale-en.ts
index 3d2315c..a51c2c6 100644
--- a/src/renderer-locale-en.ts
+++ b/src/renderer-locale-en.ts
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ const UI_TEXT_EN = {
         modeFull: 'Full VOD',
         modeParts: 'Split into parts',
         partMinutesLabel: 'Part Length (Minutes)',
+        parallelDownloadsLabel: 'Parallel Downloads',
+        parallelDownloads1: '1 (Default)',
+        parallelDownloads2: '2 (Parallel)',
         performanceModeLabel: 'Performance Profile',
         performanceModeStability: 'Max Stability',
         performanceModeBalanced: 'Balanced',
diff --git a/src/renderer-settings.ts b/src/renderer-settings.ts
index 594bd47..f251367 100644
--- a/src/renderer-settings.ts
+++ b/src/renderer-settings.ts
@@ -315,6 +315,7 @@ function collectDownloadSettingsPayload(): Partial<AppConfig> {
     return {
         download_mode: byId<HTMLSelectElement>('downloadMode').value as 'parts' | 'full',
         part_minutes: parseInt(byId<HTMLInputElement>('partMinutes').value, 10) || 120,
+        parallel_downloads: parseInt(byId<HTMLSelectElement>('parallelDownloads').value, 10) || 1,
         performance_mode: byId<HTMLSelectElement>('performanceMode').value as 'stability' | 'balanced' | 'speed',
         smart_queue_scheduler: byId<HTMLInputElement>('smartSchedulerToggle').checked,
         prevent_duplicate_downloads: byId<HTMLInputElement>('duplicatePreventionToggle').checked,
@@ -356,6 +357,7 @@ function getSettingsFingerprint(payload: Partial<AppConfig>): string {
         effective.client_secret ?? '',
         effective.download_mode ?? 'full',
         effective.part_minutes ?? 120,
+        effective.parallel_downloads ?? 1,
         effective.performance_mode ?? 'balanced',
         effective.smart_queue_scheduler !== false,
         effective.prevent_duplicate_downloads !== false,
@@ -372,6 +374,7 @@ function syncSettingsFormFromConfig(): void {
     byId<HTMLInputElement>('clientSecret').value = config.client_secret ?? '';
     byId<HTMLSelectElement>('downloadMode').value = (config.download_mode as 'parts' | 'full') ?? 'full';
     byId<HTMLInputElement>('partMinutes').value = String((config.part_minutes as number) || 120);
+    byId<HTMLSelectElement>('parallelDownloads').value = String((config.parallel_downloads as number) || 1);
     byId<HTMLSelectElement>('performanceMode').value = (config.performance_mode as string) || 'balanced';
     byId<HTMLInputElement>('smartSchedulerToggle').checked = (config.smart_queue_scheduler as boolean) !== false;
     byId<HTMLInputElement>('duplicatePreventionToggle').checked = (config.prevent_duplicate_downloads as boolean) !== false;
@@ -482,6 +485,7 @@ function initSettingsAutoSave(): void {
 
     const immediateSaveIds = [
         'downloadMode',
+        'parallelDownloads',
         'performanceMode',
         'smartSchedulerToggle',
         'duplicatePreventionToggle',
diff --git a/src/renderer-texts.ts b/src/renderer-texts.ts
index 58c8b9d..be171db 100644
--- a/src/renderer-texts.ts
+++ b/src/renderer-texts.ts
@@ -83,6 +83,9 @@ function applyLanguageToStaticUI(): void {
     setText('modeFullText', UI_TEXT.static.modeFull);
     setText('modePartsText', UI_TEXT.static.modeParts);
     setText('partMinutesLabel', UI_TEXT.static.partMinutesLabel);
+    setText('parallelDownloadsLabel', UI_TEXT.static.parallelDownloadsLabel);
+    setText('parallelDownloads1', UI_TEXT.static.parallelDownloads1);
+    setText('parallelDownloads2', UI_TEXT.static.parallelDownloads2);
     setText('performanceModeLabel', UI_TEXT.static.performanceModeLabel);
     setText('performanceModeStability', UI_TEXT.static.performanceModeStability);
     setText('performanceModeBalanced', UI_TEXT.static.performanceModeBalanced);