diff --git a/projects/dsp-ui/src/lib/viewer/values/date-value/date-input/date-input.component.html b/projects/dsp-ui/src/lib/viewer/values/date-value/date-input/date-input.component.html
index 29f24c58f..57f2c59ac 100644
--- a/projects/dsp-ui/src/lib/viewer/values/date-value/date-input/date-input.component.html
+++ b/projects/dsp-ui/src/lib/viewer/values/date-value/date-input/date-input.component.html
@@ -38,12 +38,12 @@
         <mat-error *ngIf="startDateControl.hasError('required')">
             <span class="custom-error-message">Start date is <strong>required</strong></span>
         </mat-error>
-        <mat-error *ngIf="startDateControl.hasError('sameCalendarRequired')">
-            <span class="custom-error-message">In a period, start and end date must use the same
+        <mat-error *ngIf="startDateControl.hasError('sameCalendarRequired') && (startDateControl.value !== null || endDateControl.value !== null)">
+            <span class="custom-error-message">In a period, start and end dates are <strong>required</strong> and must use the same
                 <strong>calendar</strong></span>
         </mat-error>
-        <mat-error *ngIf="startDateControl.hasError('periodStartEnd')">
-            <span class="custom-error-message">In a period, start must be <strong>before end</strong></span>
+        <mat-error *ngIf="startDateControl.hasError('periodStartEnd') && startDateControl.value !== null && endDateControl.value !== null">
+            <span class="custom-error-message">In a period, start must be <strong>before</strong> end</span>
         </mat-error>
     </div>
 
diff --git a/projects/dsp-ui/src/lib/viewer/values/date-value/date-input/date-input.component.spec.ts b/projects/dsp-ui/src/lib/viewer/values/date-value/date-input/date-input.component.spec.ts
index 262b280f8..5e6c215a4 100644
--- a/projects/dsp-ui/src/lib/viewer/values/date-value/date-input/date-input.component.spec.ts
+++ b/projects/dsp-ui/src/lib/viewer/values/date-value/date-input/date-input.component.spec.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { async, ComponentFixture, TestBed } from '@angular/core/testing';
 
 import { DateInputComponent } from './date-input.component';
 import { Component, OnInit, ViewChild } from '@angular/core';
-import { FormBuilder, FormGroup, ReactiveFormsModule } from '@angular/forms';
+import { FormBuilder, FormControl, FormGroup, ReactiveFormsModule } from '@angular/forms';
 import { KnoraDate, KnoraPeriod } from '@dasch-swiss/dsp-js';
 import { JDNDatepickerDirective } from '../../jdn-datepicker-directive/jdndatepicker.directive';
 import { MatFormFieldModule } from '@angular/material/form-field';
@@ -46,6 +46,35 @@ class TestHostComponent implements OnInit {
     }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Test host component to simulate parent component.
+ */
+@Component({
+    template: `
+    <div [formGroup]="form">
+      <mat-form-field>
+        <dsp-date-input #dateInput [formControlName]="'date'" [valueRequiredValidator]="false"></dsp-date-input>
+      </mat-form-field>
+    </div>`
+})
+class NoValueRequiredTestHostComponent implements OnInit {
+
+    @ViewChild('dateInput') dateInputComponent: DateInputComponent;
+
+    form: FormGroup;
+
+    constructor(private _fb: FormBuilder) {
+    }
+
+    ngOnInit(): void {
+
+        this.form = this._fb.group({
+            date: new FormControl(null)
+        });
+
+    }
+}
+
 describe('DateInputComponent', () => {
     let testHostComponent: TestHostComponent;
     let testHostFixture: ComponentFixture<TestHostComponent>;
@@ -261,4 +290,52 @@ describe('DateInputComponent', () => {
 
     });
 
+    it('should mark the form\'s validity correctly', () => {
+        expect(testHostComponent.dateInputComponent.valueRequiredValidator).toBe(true);
+        expect(testHostComponent.dateInputComponent.form.valid).toBe(true);
+
+        testHostComponent.dateInputComponent.startDateControl.setValue(null);
+
+        testHostComponent.dateInputComponent._handleInput();
+
+        expect(testHostComponent.dateInputComponent.form.valid).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+});
+
+describe('NoValueRequiredTestHostComponent', () => {
+    let testHostComponent: NoValueRequiredTestHostComponent;
+    let testHostFixture: ComponentFixture<NoValueRequiredTestHostComponent>;
+
+    beforeEach(async(() => {
+        TestBed.configureTestingModule({
+            imports: [
+                ReactiveFormsModule,
+                MatFormFieldModule,
+                MatInputModule,
+                MatDatepickerModule,
+                MatCheckboxModule,
+                MatJDNConvertibleCalendarDateAdapterModule,
+                BrowserAnimationsModule
+            ],
+            declarations: [DateInputComponent, NoValueRequiredTestHostComponent, JDNDatepickerDirective]
+        })
+            .compileComponents();
+    }));
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+        testHostFixture = TestBed.createComponent(NoValueRequiredTestHostComponent);
+        testHostComponent = testHostFixture.componentInstance;
+        testHostFixture.detectChanges();
+
+        expect(testHostComponent).toBeTruthy();
+    });
+
+    it('should recieve the propagated valueRequiredValidator from the parent component', () => {
+        expect(testHostComponent.dateInputComponent.valueRequiredValidator).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should mark the form\'s validity correctly', () => {
+        expect(testHostComponent.dateInputComponent.form.valid).toBe(true);
+    });
 });
diff --git a/projects/dsp-ui/src/lib/viewer/values/date-value/date-input/date-input.component.ts b/projects/dsp-ui/src/lib/viewer/values/date-value/date-input/date-input.component.ts
index 16c6c1f5a..b07f43ed5 100644
--- a/projects/dsp-ui/src/lib/viewer/values/date-value/date-input/date-input.component.ts
+++ b/projects/dsp-ui/src/lib/viewer/values/date-value/date-input/date-input.component.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { FocusMonitor } from '@angular/cdk/a11y';
 import { coerceBooleanProperty } from '@angular/cdk/coercion';
-import { Component, DoCheck, ElementRef, HostBinding, Input, OnDestroy, Optional, Self } from '@angular/core';
+import { Component, DoCheck, ElementRef, HostBinding, Input, OnDestroy, OnInit, Optional, Self } from '@angular/core';
 import {
     AbstractControl,
     ControlValueAccessor,
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ const _MatInputMixinBase: CanUpdateErrorStateCtor & typeof MatInputBase =
     styleUrls: ['./date-input.component.scss'],
     providers: [{ provide: MatFormFieldControl, useExisting: DateInputComponent }]
 })
-export class DateInputComponent extends _MatInputMixinBase implements ControlValueAccessor, MatFormFieldControl<KnoraDate | KnoraPeriod>, DoCheck, CanUpdateErrorState, OnDestroy {
+export class DateInputComponent extends _MatInputMixinBase implements ControlValueAccessor, MatFormFieldControl<KnoraDate | KnoraPeriod>, DoCheck, CanUpdateErrorState, OnDestroy, OnInit {
 
     static nextId = 0;
 
@@ -110,6 +110,8 @@ export class DateInputComponent extends _MatInputMixinBase implements ControlVal
     endDateControl: FormControl;
     isPeriodControl: FormControl;
 
+    @Input() valueRequiredValidator = true;
+
     onChange = (_: any) => {
     };
     onTouched = () => {
@@ -267,15 +269,7 @@ export class DateInputComponent extends _MatInputMixinBase implements ControlVal
 
         this.endDateControl = new FormControl(null);
         this.isPeriodControl = new FormControl(null);
-        this.startDateControl
-            = new FormControl(
-                null,
-                [
-                    Validators.required,
-                    sameCalendarValidator(this.isPeriodControl, this.endDateControl),
-                    periodStartEndValidator(this.isPeriodControl, this.endDateControl)
-                ]
-            );
+        this.startDateControl = new FormControl(null);
 
         this.form = fb.group({
             dateStart: this.startDateControl,
@@ -283,7 +277,6 @@ export class DateInputComponent extends _MatInputMixinBase implements ControlVal
             isPeriod: this.isPeriodControl
         });
 
-
         _fm.monitor(_elRef.nativeElement, true).subscribe(origin => {
             this.focused = !!origin;
             this.stateChanges.next();
@@ -294,6 +287,23 @@ export class DateInputComponent extends _MatInputMixinBase implements ControlVal
         }
     }
 
+    ngOnInit() {
+        if (this.valueRequiredValidator) {
+            this.startDateControl.setValidators([
+                Validators.required,
+                sameCalendarValidator(this.isPeriodControl, this.endDateControl),
+                periodStartEndValidator(this.isPeriodControl, this.endDateControl)
+            ]);
+        } else {
+            this.startDateControl.setValidators([
+                sameCalendarValidator(this.isPeriodControl, this.endDateControl),
+                periodStartEndValidator(this.isPeriodControl, this.endDateControl)
+            ]);
+        }
+
+        this.startDateControl.updateValueAndValidity();
+    }
+
     ngDoCheck() {
         if (this.ngControl) {
             this.updateErrorState();
diff --git a/projects/dsp-ui/src/lib/viewer/values/date-value/date-value.component.html b/projects/dsp-ui/src/lib/viewer/values/date-value/date-value.component.html
index 6ac9f8e35..dcd96c734 100644
--- a/projects/dsp-ui/src/lib/viewer/values/date-value/date-value.component.html
+++ b/projects/dsp-ui/src/lib/viewer/values/date-value/date-value.component.html
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 
         <mat-form-field class="large-field child-value-component" floatLabel="never">
 
-            <dsp-date-input #dateInput [formControlName]="'value'" class="value" [errorStateMatcher]="matcher"></dsp-date-input>
+            <dsp-date-input #dateInput [formControlName]="'value'" class="value" [errorStateMatcher]="matcher" [valueRequiredValidator]="valueRequiredValidator"></dsp-date-input>
 
             <mat-error *ngIf="valueFormControl.hasError('valueNotChanged')">
                 <span class="custom-error-message">New value must be different than the current value.</span>
diff --git a/projects/dsp-ui/src/lib/viewer/values/date-value/date-value.component.spec.ts b/projects/dsp-ui/src/lib/viewer/values/date-value/date-value.component.spec.ts
index 642b4881f..adad2580c 100644
--- a/projects/dsp-ui/src/lib/viewer/values/date-value/date-value.component.spec.ts
+++ b/projects/dsp-ui/src/lib/viewer/values/date-value/date-value.component.spec.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ class TestDateInputComponent implements ControlValueAccessor, MatFormFieldContro
   @Input() required: boolean;
   @Input() shouldLabelFloat: boolean;
   @Input() errorStateMatcher: ErrorStateMatcher;
+  @Input() valueRequiredValidator = true;
 
   errorState = false;
   focused = false;
@@ -116,6 +117,26 @@ class TestHostCreateValueComponent implements OnInit {
   }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Test host component to simulate parent component.
+ */
+@Component({
+    template: `
+      <dsp-date-value #inputVal [mode]="mode" [valueRequiredValidator]="false"></dsp-date-value>`
+  })
+  class TestHostCreateValueNoValueRequiredComponent implements OnInit {
+
+    @ViewChild('inputVal') inputValueComponent: DateValueComponent;
+
+    mode: 'read' | 'update' | 'create' | 'search';
+
+    ngOnInit() {
+
+      this.mode = 'create';
+
+    }
+  }
+
 describe('DateValueComponent', () => {
 
   beforeEach(async(() => {
@@ -130,6 +151,7 @@ describe('DateValueComponent', () => {
         TestDateInputComponent,
         TestHostDisplayValueComponent,
         TestHostCreateValueComponent,
+        TestHostCreateValueNoValueRequiredComponent,
         KnoraDatePipe
       ]
     })
@@ -611,5 +633,29 @@ describe('DateValueComponent', () => {
 
   });
 
+  describe('create a date value no required value', () => {
+
+    let testHostComponent: TestHostCreateValueNoValueRequiredComponent;
+    let testHostFixture: ComponentFixture<TestHostCreateValueNoValueRequiredComponent>;
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      testHostFixture = TestBed.createComponent(TestHostCreateValueNoValueRequiredComponent);
+      testHostComponent = testHostFixture.componentInstance;
+      testHostFixture.detectChanges();
+
+      expect(testHostComponent).toBeTruthy();
+      expect(testHostComponent.inputValueComponent).toBeTruthy();
+    });
+
+    it('should not create an empty value', () => {
+        expect(testHostComponent.inputValueComponent.getNewValue()).toBe(false);
+        expect(testHostComponent.inputValueComponent.form.valid).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should propagate valueRequiredValidator to child component', () => {
+        expect(testHostComponent.inputValueComponent.valueRequiredValidator).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+  });
 
 });
diff --git a/projects/dsp-ui/src/lib/viewer/values/int-value/int-value.component.spec.ts b/projects/dsp-ui/src/lib/viewer/values/int-value/int-value.component.spec.ts
index bd9813062..b4e6a9376 100644
--- a/projects/dsp-ui/src/lib/viewer/values/int-value/int-value.component.spec.ts
+++ b/projects/dsp-ui/src/lib/viewer/values/int-value/int-value.component.spec.ts
@@ -335,8 +335,8 @@ describe('IntValueComponent', () => {
     });
 
     describe('create value no required value', () => {
-        let testHostComponent: TestHostCreateValueComponent;
-        let testHostFixture: ComponentFixture<TestHostCreateValueComponent>;
+        let testHostComponent: TestHostCreateValueNoValueRequiredComponent;
+        let testHostFixture: ComponentFixture<TestHostCreateValueNoValueRequiredComponent>;
 
         beforeEach(async () => {
             testHostFixture = TestBed.createComponent(TestHostCreateValueNoValueRequiredComponent);