Urhebers

Urheber is the German term for the creator or author of a protected work, such as a book, painting, musical composition, software, or scientific study. The plural form is Urheber, and the term refers to the person who initially creates a work and, in most cases, holds the copyright rights that attach to it. In practice, economic rights can be licensed or assigned to others, such as publishers, producers, or platforms, through contracts.

Copyright rights for Urheber are commonly divided into personal rights (Urheberpersönlichkeitsrechte) and economic rights (Verwertungsrechte). Personal rights include the right to be identified as the author and protection against distortion or misuse that could harm the author’s honor or reputation. These rights are generally non-transferable and remain with the author, even if the work is sold or licensed. Economic rights enable exploitation of the work and include reproduction, distribution, public performance or communication, and the creation of derivative works. These Verwertungsrechte can be transferred, licensed, or otherwise allocated to third parties by contract.

Employment and commissioned works affect ownership of rights differently depending on national law and contract terms. Often, in a work created within an employment relationship or as an Auftrag, the employer or client obtains the economic rights, while the author retains moral rights. The exact allocation is determined by law and contractual provisions.

Duration of copyright typically follows the life of the author plus 70 years after death in many jurisdictions, including the EU. The relationship between the Urheber and the physical owner of copies is separate from the copyrights and licenses that govern use and distribution of the work.