Vorsatzblatt

Vorsatzblatt is a term used in German publishing and library science for the introductory leaf of a printed work. It is part of the front matter and is typically located before the title page. The Vorsatzblatt can be blank or printed with decorative elements, a motto, a dedication, or bibliographic details such as the publisher, place and year of imprint. In many older books, the page serves as a preparatory space that precedes the main title page and helps set the visual tone of the work.

The content and form of the Vorsatzblatt vary with period, publisher and genre. Common contents include a dedication (Widmung), a short motto, or a printer's imprint. In some academic works, a dedicated Vorsatzblatt appears at the very beginning listing the author, the work title, the degree, the institution and the date. In bibliographic descriptions, the Vorsatzblatt is treated as a structural element of the physical object and may be described separately in catalogs. Its presence helps researchers assess the book’s binding, edition, and front matter complexity.

With modern publishing and digitization, the explicit Vorsatzblatt has become less common, though many historical editions retain it as part of the book’s character. Etymology: Vorsatzblatt is formed from vorsatz (preliminary or prefatory) and Blatt (leaf). See also Titelblatt, Endblatt, Widmung, Inhalt.