diff --git a/the_works/__init__.py b/the_works/__init__.py
index 0a6eb31..88fb91f 100644
--- a/the_works/__init__.py
+++ b/the_works/__init__.py
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 from flask import Flask
-from the_works.database import init_db
 
 # this import is not strictly necessary but it forces pipreqs-to include dotenv when generating `requirements.txt`
 import dotenv 
 
+from the_works.database import init_db
+from the_works.views import home, text, werk, verlag, sprache, textform, werksform, genre, pseudonym, reihe, herausgeber, veroeffentlichung, titelbild
+
 #from flask_debugtoolbar import DebugToolbarExtension
 
 def create_app(config=None):
@@ -28,7 +30,6 @@ def create_app(config=None):
   init_db(app)
 
   # register blueprints
-  from the_works.views import home, text, werk, verlag, sprache, textform, werksform, genre, pseudonym, reihe, herausgeber, veroeffentlichung, titelbild
   app.register_blueprint(genre.bp)
   app.register_blueprint(herausgeber.bp)
   app.register_blueprint(home.bp)
@@ -51,7 +52,7 @@ def create_app(config=None):
 
 # helper function to print formatted file size; [source](https://stackoverflow.com/a/1094933)
 def sizeof_fmt(num: int | str, suffix: str = "B") -> str:
-  if type(num) == str:
+  if isinstance(num, str):
     num = int(num)
   for unit in ("", "Ki", "Mi", "Gi", "Ti", "Pi", "Ei", "Zi"):
     if abs(num) < 1024.0:
diff --git a/the_works/database.py b/the_works/database.py
index dd04987..2c1fdf1 100644
--- a/the_works/database.py
+++ b/the_works/database.py
@@ -1,34 +1,13 @@
 from flask_sqlalchemy import SQLAlchemy
 from the_works.models import Base
 
-# Instantiate the SQLAlchemy around the database schema's declarative mapping  
+# Instantiate the SQLAlchemy around the database schema's declarative mapping
 db = SQLAlchemy(model_class=Base)
 
 def init_db(app):
-  # initialize the Flask app with the flask_sqlalchemy extension  
+  # initialize the Flask app with the flask_sqlalchemy extension
   db.init_app(app)
 
   # create nonexistent tables in DB
   with app.app_context():
     db.create_all()
-
-""" 
-    # check if database is empty and if so, populate it with fresh tables
-		#TODO: does it make sense to try and create all tables by default? Existing tables wouldn't be overwritten but what about DB constraints ?
-    if not len(db.metadata.tables):
-      # import table classes from code that was generated via `sqlacodegen --generator tables sqlite:///the_works.sqlite > ./the_works/tables.py` in project root
-      import the_works.tables
-
-      # filter the objects just imported for those of type sqlalchemy.Table
-      from sqlalchemy import Table
-      table_list = list(filter(lambda t: type(t) == Table, vars(the_works.tables).values()))
-
-      # Table objects imported from sqlacodegen code are associated with a random MetaData() object, so we have to re-associate them with the DB's metadata  
-      table_list = list(map(lambda t: t.to_metadata(db.metadata), table_list))
-
-      # create tables in DB )
-      db.metadata.create_all(db.engine)
-    
-    # generate declarative table objects by reflecting the DB
-    db.reflect()
- """
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/the_works/views/genre.py b/the_works/views/genre.py
index d813f92..7f6eaec 100644
--- a/the_works/views/genre.py
+++ b/the_works/views/genre.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 from flask import Blueprint, render_template, request, redirect, flash, url_for
-from sqlalchemy import select, insert, update, delete
+from sqlalchemy import select
 from the_works.database import db
 from the_works.models import Genre
 
diff --git a/the_works/views/herausgeber.py b/the_works/views/herausgeber.py
index 9ac1f22..c4132c0 100644
--- a/the_works/views/herausgeber.py
+++ b/the_works/views/herausgeber.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 from flask import Blueprint, render_template, request, redirect, flash, url_for
-from sqlalchemy import select, insert, update, delete
+from sqlalchemy import select
 from the_works.database import db
 from the_works.models import Herausgeber
 
diff --git a/the_works/views/pseudonym.py b/the_works/views/pseudonym.py
index 4326373..48e724b 100644
--- a/the_works/views/pseudonym.py
+++ b/the_works/views/pseudonym.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 from flask import Blueprint, render_template, request, redirect, flash, url_for
-from sqlalchemy import select, insert, update, delete
+from sqlalchemy import select
 from the_works.database import db
 from the_works.models import Pseudonym
 
diff --git a/the_works/views/reihe.py b/the_works/views/reihe.py
index 9de8788..48cebad 100644
--- a/the_works/views/reihe.py
+++ b/the_works/views/reihe.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 from flask import Blueprint, render_template, request, redirect, flash, url_for
-from sqlalchemy import select, insert, update, delete
+from sqlalchemy import select
 from the_works.database import db
 from the_works.models import Reihe, Verlag
 
diff --git a/the_works/views/sprache.py b/the_works/views/sprache.py
index 0e0a30f..2190460 100644
--- a/the_works/views/sprache.py
+++ b/the_works/views/sprache.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 from flask import Blueprint, render_template, request, redirect, flash, url_for
-from sqlalchemy import select, insert, update, delete
+from sqlalchemy import select
 from the_works.database import db
 from the_works.models import Sprache
 
diff --git a/the_works/views/textform.py b/the_works/views/textform.py
index 6cbd446..1f9e05e 100644
--- a/the_works/views/textform.py
+++ b/the_works/views/textform.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 from flask import Blueprint, render_template, request, redirect, flash, url_for
-from sqlalchemy import select, insert, update, delete
+from sqlalchemy import select
 from the_works.database import db
 from the_works.models import Textform
 
diff --git a/the_works/views/verlag.py b/the_works/views/verlag.py
index ae9cb57..f7389fa 100644
--- a/the_works/views/verlag.py
+++ b/the_works/views/verlag.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 from flask import Blueprint, render_template, request, redirect, flash, url_for
-from sqlalchemy import select, insert, update, delete
+from sqlalchemy import select
 from the_works.database import db
 from the_works.models import Verlag
 
diff --git a/the_works/views/veroeffentlichung.py b/the_works/views/veroeffentlichung.py
index 7ffcc9f..79b561b 100644
--- a/the_works/views/veroeffentlichung.py
+++ b/the_works/views/veroeffentlichung.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 from flask import Blueprint, render_template, request, redirect, flash, url_for
-from sqlalchemy import select, insert, update, delete
+from sqlalchemy import select
 from the_works.database import db
 from the_works.models import Veroeffentlichung, Text, Werk, Werksform, Pseudonym
 
diff --git a/the_works/views/werksform.py b/the_works/views/werksform.py
index 0a86304..41af10f 100644
--- a/the_works/views/werksform.py
+++ b/the_works/views/werksform.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 from flask import Blueprint, render_template, request, redirect, flash, url_for
-from sqlalchemy import select, insert, update, delete
+from sqlalchemy import select
 from the_works.database import db
 from the_works.models import Werksform