diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-maven-image.yaml b/.github/workflows/release-maven-image.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..238b3b41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-maven-image.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+name: release-maven-image
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      releaseVersion:
+        description: "Version to use when preparing a release (e.g., 1.2.3)"
+        required: true
+        default: "0.0.1"
+      developmentVersion:
+        description: "Version to use for new local working copy (e.g., 1.2.4-SNAPSHOT)"
+        required: true
+        default: "0.0.2-SNAPSHOT"
+      app-path:
+        type: choice
+        description: Service-Name
+        required: true
+        options:
+          - refarch-backend
+          - refarch-eai
+
+jobs:
+  release-maven:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    outputs:
+      MVN_ARTIFACT_ID: ${{ steps.maven-release-step.outputs.MVN_ARTIFACT_ID }}
+      ARTIFACT_NAME: ${{ steps.maven-release-step.outputs.artifact-name }}
+    env:
+      TZ: Europe/Berlin # timezone
+    steps:
+      - id: maven-release-step
+        uses: it-at-m/.github/.github/actions/action-maven-release@main
+        with:
+          app-path: "/${{ github.event.inputs.app-path }}"
+          releaseVersion: "${{ github.event.inputs.releaseVersion }}"
+          developmentVersion: "${{ github.event.inputs.developmentVersion }}"
+          SIGN_KEY_PASS: ${{ secrets.gpg_passphrase }}
+          CENTRAL_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.sonatype_username }}
+          CENTRAL_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.sonatype_password  }}
+          GDP_PRIVATE_KEY: ${{  secrets.gpg_private_key }}
+
+  build-image:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs: release-maven
+    steps:
+      - uses: it-at-m/.github/.github/actions/action-build-image@main
+        with:
+          path: "${{ github.event.inputs.app-path }}"
+          image-name: "${{ github.event.inputs.app-path }}"
+          registry-password: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          artifact-name: ${{ needs.release-maven.outputs.ARTIFACT_NAME }}
+          registry-username: ${{ github.actor }}
+          image-tags: |
+            type=semver,pattern={{version}},value=${{ github.event.inputs.releaseVersion }}
+
+  create-github-release:
+    needs: release-maven
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Download a single artifact
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: ${{ needs.release-maven.outputs.ARTIFACT_NAME }}
+      - name: Create GitHub Release
+        id: create_release
+        uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v2
+        with:
+          tag_name: ${{needs.release-maven.outputs.MVN_ARTIFACT_ID}}-${{ github.event.inputs.releaseVersion }}
+          draft: false
+          prerelease: false
+          generate_release_notes: false
+          files: |
+            ${{ github.event.inputs.app-path }}/target/*.jar