Bestand

Bestand is a German noun (der Bestand) that denotes the existing stock, inventory, or corpus of items that are owned, produced, or maintained by an organization, institution, or system. The word derives from bestehen, meaning to exist or to consist of. Its usage spans several domains, often with field-specific nuances.

In business and logistics, Bestand refers to the quantity of goods on hand. Common phrases include Warenbestand (goods in stock) and Lagerbestand (inventory level). Bestandsaufnahme (inventory or stocktake) describes the process of determining current stock, while Bestandsbewertung involves valuing that stock for accounting and planning purposes. The term helps coordinate procurement, production, and sales by indicating available resources.

In libraries, archives, and museums, Bestand denotes the holdings or collection owned by the institution. A library’s Bestände are cataloged and managed as part of the institution’s patrimony, with terms like Bestandsliste or Bestandsverzeichnis used for inventories of these holdings.

In ecology and biology, Bestand refers to a population or standing stock of organisms in a given area. Terms such as Tierbestand (animal population) or Pflanzenbestand (plant population) describe the size and composition of these groups and are used in surveys, conservation planning, and ecological research.

Historically, Bestand can also appear in legal or administrative contexts to describe the current set of assets, documents, or records within a registry or archive. Across contexts, Bestand remains a fundamental term for describing what exists, is owned, or is maintained at a given time.