diff --git a/databaseConnection/databaseConnection.php b/databaseConnection/databaseConnection.php
index c3625ab..16b15ce 100644
--- a/databaseConnection/databaseConnection.php
+++ b/databaseConnection/databaseConnection.php
@@ -1,10 +1,62 @@
 <?php
 
-function getDatabaseConnection() {
-    $databaseAddress = "127.0.0.1";
-    $databasePort = "3306";
-    $databaseName = "";
-    $databaseUser = "";
-    $databasePassword = "";
-    return new mysqli($databaseAddress, $databaseUser, $databasePassword, $databaseName);
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+// Lädt die .env Datei zwei Ordner über dieser Datei
+function loadEnv(): void
+{
+    $envPath = dirname(__DIR__, 2) . '/.env';
+
+    if (!file_exists($envPath)) {
+        throw new RuntimeException('.env file not found at: ' . $envPath);
+    }
+
+    $lines = file($envPath, FILE_IGNORE_NEW_LINES | FILE_SKIP_EMPTY_LINES);
+
+    foreach ($lines as $line) {
+        $line = trim($line);
+
+        if ($line === '' || str_starts_with($line, '#')) {
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        [$key, $value] = array_pad(explode('=', $line, 2), 2, '');
+
+        $key = trim($key);
+        $value = trim($value);
+
+        $_ENV[$key] = $value;
+        putenv("$key=$value");
+    }
+}
+
+// .env einmal laden
+loadEnv();
+
+function env(string $key, $default = null)
+{
+    return $_ENV[$key] ?? getenv($key) ?? $default;
+}
+
+function getDatabaseConnection(): mysqli
+{
+    $databaseAddress  = env('DB_HOST', '127.0.0.1');
+    $databasePort     = env('DB_PORT', '3306');
+    $databaseName     = env('DB_NAME');
+    $databaseUser     = env('DB_USER');
+    $databasePassword = env('DB_PASS');
+
+    $mysqli = new mysqli(
+        $databaseAddress,
+        $databaseUser,
+        $databasePassword,
+        $databaseName,
+        (int) $databasePort
+    );
+
+    if ($mysqli->connect_error) {
+        throw new RuntimeException(
+            'Database connection failed: ' . $mysqli->connect_error
+        );
+    }
+
+    return $mysqli;
+}