werktitel

WerkTitel is a German-language term describing the official title of a creative work. It denotes the primary name by which a work is identified in catalogs, citations, and metadata. The term combines Werk (work) and Titel (title). In practical use, the WerkTitel is the main title chosen by the creator or publisher and is distinguished from other title forms such as subtitles or translated variants.

In cataloging and bibliographic practice, a work may carry multiple title forms: the original title, a subtitle (Untertitel), and translated or alternative titles used in different markets. The WerkTitel typically refers to the primary, authoritative title, while subtitles provide supplementary information. Metadata schemas and library systems may implement fields labeled as Title or Work Title, sometimes using WerkTitel as a language-specific label to indicate the principal title. Cross-language catalogs often include translations of the WerkTitel to support multilingual access.

Different media share the concept: novels, films, music, visual arts, and software projects all rely on a designated WerkTitel to ensure consistent reference across editions, databases, and scholarly work. When titles change between editions or languages, catalogs may retain the original WerkTitel while associating alternative titles as related forms, with clear language tagging and authority control to maintain accuracy.

Notes on usage vary by institution and cataloging standard. While not tied to a single organization, the concept of a WerkTitel remains a core element of how works are identified and cited in German-language bibliographic and metadata contexts. See also: Titel, Untertitel, Übersetzung, Titelform.