Hefte

Hefte is a German noun with two principal meanings. In common usage it refers to a small book or booklet used for writing or organizing notes, typically called a notebook. It can also denote an issue of a magazine, journal, or series, especially when the publication appears in separate, bound parts.

As notebooks, Hefte vary in size, binding, and purpose. They are widely used in schools and offices for exercises, homework, and personal notes. Common variants include lined (liniertes Heft), grid-paper (kariertes Heft), or blank pages. Binding can be sewn, stapled, or spiral-bound, and cover materials range from simple cardboard to laminated covers.

As a term for publications, Hefte describe individual issues or instalments of a serial publication. In this sense, a magazine or a scholarly series might publish its content in numbered Hefte rather than as a single volume. The plural form is used regardless of whether the items are bound or issued in pamphlet form. The term appears in academic, cultural, or historical contexts and is common in library catalogs and publishing descriptions.

Etymology: Heft originally referred to a small book or pamphlet in German, and the word survives in modern usage with the two senses described above.