Haupttitel

Haupttitel is a German term meaning "main title" and is used to identify the principal line of text that names a work. It denotes the most prominent element in the typographic hierarchy on a page, cover, screen, or other media, and is typically distinguished from the Untertitel, or subtitle, which provides additional information.

In publishing and typography, the Haupttitel appears on the title page or book cover as the chief identifier of the work. Design conventions emphasize its prominence through size, weight, and placement, while the Untertitel is presented as a secondary line that explains or extends the Haupttitel. In cataloging and metadata, the Haupttitel is treated as the primary title form for indexing and retrieval, with the Untertitel stored separately.

In film, television, and visual media, the term refers to the opening title sequence that introduces the work. Historically in silent cinema, title cards served as the Haupttitel, displaying the film’s name to the audience. In contemporary practice, German-language references may use Haupttitel to describe the main opening title, even as production teams may call it simply the opening title or title sequence.

In libraries and bibliographic records, the Haupttitel is the core form used for catalog entry and search, with subtitles and alternative titles handled as qualifiers or variants. The term underscores the importance of typographic and informational hierarchy in presenting a work to readers or viewers.

See also: Title, Subtitle, Opening title, Title page, Title sequence.