diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 4ff3be949..68a1e1410 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [tool.poetry]
 name = "ohsome_quality_api"
-version = "1.5.0"
+version = "1.6.1"
 description = "Data quality estimations for OpenStreetMap."
 authors = ["ohsome team <ohsome@heigit.org>"]
 homepage = "https://api.quality.ohsome.org"
diff --git a/scripts/release.sh b/scripts/release.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..d8893d937
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/release.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+# based on docs here: https://heigit.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/OQT/pages/3474149/Releases
+# requires local installation of `gh`, the github CLI: https://cli.github.com
+
+
+# please adjust these version names first
+export OLD_VERSION=1.5.0
+export NEW_VERSION=1.6.0
+
+
+# change to main directory
+cd ..
+
+# activate python environment for commit checks needed later
+poetry shell
+
+# get latest version of main and create new branch
+read -p "👉 create release branch?"
+git checkout main
+git pull
+git checkout -b release-$NEW_VERSION
+echo "✅ created release branch of the latest main"
+
+
+# update to latest version of swagger libs
+read -p "👉 update swagger?"
+./scripts/update_swagger_scripts.sh
+echo "✅ updated to latest version of swagger libs"
+
+
+# Update version in pyproject.toml
+read -p "👉 update project version?"
+poetry version $NEW_VERSION
+echo "✅ updated project version in pyproject.toml to $NEW_VERSION"
+
+
+# update version in __init__.py
+read -p "👉 update __init__.py?"
+export OLD="__version__ = \"$OLD_VERSION\""
+export NEW="__version__ = \"$NEW_VERSION\""
+
+# might not work like this on linux
+sed -i .bak "s/$OLD/$NEW/g" ohsome_quality_api/__init__.py
+rm -rf ohsome_quality_api/__init__.py.bak
+echo "✅ updated __init__.py to $NEW_VERSION"
+
+
+# insert new sub-headline for new release
+read -p "👉 update CHANGELOG.md?"
+sed -i .bak "s/## Current Main/## Current Main \n\n## Release  $NEW_VERSION/g" CHANGELOG.md
+rm -rf CHANGELOG.md.bak
+echo "✅ updated CHANGELOG.md"
+
+
+read -p "👉 commit and push all changed files?"
+git add pyproject.toml
+git add ohsome_quality_api/__init__.py
+git add tests/integrationtests/fixtures/vcr_cassettes/*
+git add CHANGELOG.md
+git add scripts/release.sh
+git add ohsome_quality_api/api/static/*
+git commit -m "prepare release $NEW_VERSION"
+git push --set-upstream origin release-$NEW_VERSION
+echo "✅ committed and pushed all changed files"
+
+
+# create PR
+read -p "👉 create PR?"
+gh pr create --title "release new version $NEW_VERSION" --body "This PR is used for the Oqapi release process."
+echo "✅ created new PR for the release"
+
+
+# get PR approved
+read -p "⚠️ Please check swagger docs and have PR approved - hit <enter> when ready!"
+
+
+read -p "👉 merge approved PR?"
+gh pr merge --rebase
+echo "✅ rebased the release PR into main"
+
+
+git checkout main
+git pull
+
+
+# create github release and corresponding tag
+read -p "👉 create github release and tag?"
+export ANCHOR="release-${NEW_VERSION//\./}"
+gh release create "$NEW_VERSION" -t "$NEW_VERSION" \
+-n "See the [changelog](https://github.com/GIScience/ohsome-quality-api/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md#$ANCHOR) for release details."
+echo "✅ created new github release and tag for version: $NEW_VERSION"
+
+
+
+echo "⚠️ Please start the Jenkins tag build here: https://jenkins.heigit.org/job/OQAPI/view/tags/job/$NEW_VERSION/"
+
+# may not work like this under linux:
+open "https://jenkins.heigit.org/job/OQAPI/view/tags/job/$NEW_VERSION/"