diff --git a/app/[locale]/languages/[language]/page.tsx b/app/[locale]/languages/[language]/page.tsx
index 20ff2af..ad5d0d4 100644
--- a/app/[locale]/languages/[language]/page.tsx
+++ b/app/[locale]/languages/[language]/page.tsx
@@ -18,11 +18,7 @@ export default function LanguagesPage(props: LanguagesPageProps) {
 	const tl = useTranslations("Languages");
 	return (
 		<MainContent>
-			<InstantSearchView
-				pageName="languages"
-				pathnameField="language"
-				// queryArgsToMenuFields={{ language: "language" }}
-			>
+			<InstantSearchView pageName="languages" pathnameField="language">
 				<SingleRefinementList
 					allLabel={t("all languages")}
 					attribute={"language"}
diff --git a/app/[locale]/translators/page.tsx b/app/[locale]/translators/page.tsx
index fa2688c..421b3e2 100644
--- a/app/[locale]/translators/page.tsx
+++ b/app/[locale]/translators/page.tsx
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ import type { MenuItem } from "instantsearch.js/es/connectors/menu/connectMenu";
 import { useTranslations } from "next-intl";
 import { useMenu } from "react-instantsearch";
 
-import { InstantSearchProvider } from "@/components/instantsearch/instantsearchprovider";
 import { SingleRefinementDropdown } from "@/components/instantsearch/single-refinement-dropdown";
+import { ThomasBernhardInstantSearchProvider } from "@/components/instantsearch/thomas-bernhard/thomasbernhard-instantsearchprovider";
 import { MainContent } from "@/components/main-content";
 import { TranslatorLink } from "@/components/translator-link";
 
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ export default function TranslatorsPage() {
 	const tl = useTranslations("Languages");
 	return (
 		<MainContent className="mx-auto w-screen max-w-screen-lg p-6">
-			<InstantSearchProvider
+			<ThomasBernhardInstantSearchProvider
 				filters="contains.has_translators:true"
 				queryArgsToMenuFields={{ language: "language" }}
 			>
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ export default function TranslatorsPage() {
 					/>
 				</div>
 				<TranslatorsList />
-			</InstantSearchProvider>
+			</ThomasBernhardInstantSearchProvider>
 		</MainContent>
 	);
 }
diff --git a/app/[locale]/works/[id_or_category]/page.tsx b/app/[locale]/works/[category]/page.tsx
similarity index 82%
rename from app/[locale]/works/[id_or_category]/page.tsx
rename to app/[locale]/works/[category]/page.tsx
index 9ec13a3..5c6567b 100644
--- a/app/[locale]/works/[id_or_category]/page.tsx
+++ b/app/[locale]/works/[category]/page.tsx
@@ -10,21 +10,26 @@ import { MainContent } from "@/components/main-content";
 
 interface WorksPageProps {
 	params: {
-		id_or_category: string;
+		category: string;
 	};
 }
 
 export default function WorksPage(props: WorksPageProps) {
 	const ct = useTranslations("BernhardCategories");
 	// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
-	const categoryLabel = ct(props.params.id_or_category as any);
+	const categoryLabel = ct(props.params.category as any);
+	// TODO validate category
 	const t = useTranslations("InstantSearch");
 	const tl = useTranslations("Languages");
 
+	// TODO get id -> year+title dictionaries from backend
+
 	return (
 		<ThomasBernhardInstantSearchProvider
-			filters={`contains.work.category:${props.params.id_or_category}`}
-			queryArgsToMenuFields={{ language: "language", work: "contains.work.yeartitle" }}
+			filters={`contains.work.category:=${props.params.category}`}
+			// pageName={props.params.category} // hack
+			// pathnameField="contains.work.yeartitle"
+			queryArgsToMenuFields={{ work: "contains.work.yeartitle", language: "language" }}
 		>
 			<MainContent>
 				<div className="grid h-full grid-cols-[25%_75%] gap-6 px-2">
@@ -38,10 +43,10 @@ export default function WorksPage(props: WorksPageProps) {
 								transformItems: (items: Array<RefinementListItem>) => {
 									return items
 										.filter((item) => {
-											return item.label.startsWith(props.params.id_or_category);
+											return item.label.startsWith(props.params.category);
 										})
 										.map((item) => {
-											const [_cat, year, title] = item.label.split("$");
+											const [year, title] = item.label.split("_");
 											item.label = Number.isNaN(parseInt(year!)) ? title! : `${title!} (${year!})`;
 											return item;
 										});
diff --git a/components/instantsearch/instantsearchprovider.tsx b/components/instantsearch/instantsearchprovider.tsx
index f6a0026..5eac08e 100644
--- a/components/instantsearch/instantsearchprovider.tsx
+++ b/components/instantsearch/instantsearchprovider.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import type { UiState } from "instantsearch.js";
 // eslint-disable-next-line no-restricted-imports
 import singletonRouter from "next/router";
 import type { ReactNode } from "react";
-import { Configure } from "react-instantsearch";
 import { InstantSearchNext } from "react-instantsearch-nextjs";
 import { createInstantSearchRouterNext } from "react-instantsearch-router-nextjs";
 import type { SearchClient } from "typesense-instantsearch-adapter";
@@ -16,7 +15,6 @@ export interface InstantSearchProviderProps {
 	pathnameField?: string;
 	queryArgsToMenuFields?: Record<string, string>;
 	defaultSort?: string;
-	filters?: string;
 	searchClient: SearchClient;
 }
 
@@ -26,7 +24,6 @@ export function InstantSearchProvider(props: InstantSearchProviderProps): ReactN
 	const {
 		children,
 		collectionName,
-		filters,
 		defaultSort,
 		pageName,
 		pathnameField,
@@ -34,10 +31,6 @@ export function InstantSearchProvider(props: InstantSearchProviderProps): ReactN
 		// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-assignment
 		searchClient,
 	} = props;
-	const filter = filters
-		? // '&&' is typesense convention, not instantsearch!
-			`erstpublikation:true && ${filters}`
-		: "erstpublikation:true";
 	return (
 		<InstantSearchNext
 			indexName={collectionName}
@@ -47,10 +40,21 @@ export function InstantSearchProvider(props: InstantSearchProviderProps): ReactN
 					// https://github.com/algolia/instantsearch/tree/master/packages/react-instantsearch-router-nextjs
 					singletonRouter,
 					routerOptions: {
-						// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unused-vars
-						createURL({ location }) {
-							// this function doesn't get called for some reason
-							return `/en/languages/dummy`;
+						createURL({ location, routeState, qsModule }) {
+							// BUG this function never gets called
+							const parts = location.pathname.split("/");
+							if (pageName) {
+								if (parts.at(-1) !== pageName) {
+									parts.pop();
+								}
+								// TODO also remove value if not in routestate
+								if (pathnameField && pathnameField in routeState) {
+									parts.push(routeState[pathnameField] as string);
+									// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-dynamic-delete
+									delete routeState[pathnameField];
+								}
+							}
+							return `${parts.join("/")}?${qsModule.stringify(routeState)}`;
 						},
 						parseURL({ qsModule, location }) {
 							const queryArgs = qsModule.parse(location.search.slice(1));
@@ -130,7 +134,6 @@ export function InstantSearchProvider(props: InstantSearchProviderProps): ReactN
 			// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-assignment
 			searchClient={searchClient}
 		>
-			<Configure filters={filter} hitsPerPage={30} />
 			{children}
 		</InstantSearchNext>
 	);
diff --git a/components/instantsearch/sortby.tsx b/components/instantsearch/sortby.tsx
index 1b93055..67e2c2e 100644
--- a/components/instantsearch/sortby.tsx
+++ b/components/instantsearch/sortby.tsx
@@ -40,14 +40,9 @@ export function InstantSearchSortBy(props: InstantSearchSortByProps): ReactNode
 	const { currentRefinement, options, refine } = useSortBy({
 		items: sortByItems,
 	});
-	// enforce initial sort
-	if (currentRefinement === collectionName) {
-		refine(`${collectionName}/sort/${props.sortOptions[0]!}`);
-	}
-
 	return (
 		<Select
-			defaultSelectedKey={sortByItems[0]?.value}
+			defaultSelectedKey={currentRefinement}
 			onSelectionChange={(selected) => {
 				refine(selected as string);
 			}}
diff --git a/components/instantsearch/thomas-bernhard/thomasbernhard-instantsearchprovider.tsx b/components/instantsearch/thomas-bernhard/thomasbernhard-instantsearchprovider.tsx
index 2a8b2cc..f998cc8 100644
--- a/components/instantsearch/thomas-bernhard/thomasbernhard-instantsearchprovider.tsx
+++ b/components/instantsearch/thomas-bernhard/thomasbernhard-instantsearchprovider.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 "use client";
 
 import type { ReactNode } from "react";
+import { Configure } from "react-instantsearch";
 import TypesenseInstantSearchAdapter, { type SearchClient } from "typesense-instantsearch-adapter";
 
 import { env } from "@/config/env.config";
@@ -28,13 +29,16 @@ const typesenseInstantsearchAdapter = new TypesenseInstantSearchAdapter({
 const searchClient = typesenseInstantsearchAdapter.searchClient as unknown as SearchClient;
 
 export interface ThomasBernhardInstantSearchProviderProps
-	extends Partial<InstantSearchProviderProps> {}
+	extends Partial<InstantSearchProviderProps> {
+	filters?: string;
+	hitsPerPage?: number;
+}
 
 export function ThomasBernhardInstantSearchProvider(
 	props: ThomasBernhardInstantSearchProviderProps,
 ): ReactNode {
-	const { children, filters } = props;
-	const _filter = filters
+	const { children, filters, hitsPerPage = 30 } = props;
+	const filter = filters
 		? // '&&' is typesense convention, not instantsearch!
 			`erstpublikation:true && ${filters}`
 		: "erstpublikation:true";
@@ -46,6 +50,7 @@ export function ThomasBernhardInstantSearchProvider(
 			searchClient={searchClient}
 			{...props}
 		>
+			<Configure filters={filter} hitsPerPage={hitsPerPage} />
 			{children}
 		</InstantSearchProvider>
 	);
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index 81b7a6e..6caf556 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@ importers:
       react-instantsearch-nextjs:
         specifier: ^0.3.20
         version: 0.3.20(next@14.2.20(@babel/core@7.26.0)(@playwright/test@1.49.1)(react-dom@18.3.1(react@18.3.1))(react@18.3.1))(react-instantsearch@7.13.9(algoliasearch@5.13.0)(react-dom@18.3.1(react@18.3.1))(react@18.3.1))
+      react-instantsearch-router-nextjs:
+        specifier: ^7.13.9
+        version: 7.13.9(algoliasearch@5.13.0)(next@14.2.20(@babel/core@7.26.0)(@playwright/test@1.49.1)(react-dom@18.3.1(react@18.3.1))(react@18.3.1))(react@18.3.1)
       react-schemaorg:
         specifier: ^2.0.0
         version: 2.0.0(react@18.3.1)(schema-dts@1.1.2(typescript@5.7.2))(typescript@5.7.2)
@@ -1574,6 +1577,9 @@ packages:
   caniuse-lite@1.0.30001689:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-CmeR2VBycfa+5/jOfnp/NpWPGd06nf1XYiefUvhXFfZE4GkRc9jv+eGPS4nT558WS/8lYCzV8SlANCIPvbWP1g==}
 
+  caniuse-lite@1.0.30001690:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-5ExiE3qQN6oF8Clf8ifIDcMRCRE/dMGcETG/XGMD8/XiXm6HXQgQTh1yZYLXXpSOsEUlJm1Xr7kGULZTuGtP/w==}
+
   chalk@4.1.2:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-oKnbhFyRIXpUuez8iBMmyEa4nbj4IOQyuhc/wy9kY7/WVPcwIO9VA668Pu8RkO7+0G76SLROeyw9CpQ061i4mA==}
     engines: {node: '>=10'}
@@ -1769,8 +1775,8 @@ packages:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-cgwlv/1iFQiFnU96XXgROh8xTeetsnJiDsTc7TYCLFd9+/WNkIqPTxiM/8pSd8VIrhXGTf1Ny1q1hquVqDJB5w==}
     engines: {node: '>= 4'}
 
-  domutils@3.1.0:
-    resolution: {integrity: sha512-H78uMmQtI2AhgDJjWeQmHwJJ2bLPD3GMmO7Zja/ZZh84wkm+4ut+IUnUdRa8uCGX88DiVx1j6FRe1XfxEgjEZA==}
+  domutils@3.2.1:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-xWXmuRnN9OMP6ptPd2+H0cCbcYBULa5YDTbMm/2lvkWvNA3O4wcW+GvzooqBuNM8yy6pl3VIAeJTUUWUbfI5Fw==}
 
   dotenv-expand@11.0.7:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-zIHwmZPRshsCdpMDyVsqGmgyP0yT8GAgXUnkdAoJisxvf33k7yO6OuoKmcTGuXPWSsm8Oh88nZicRLA9Y0rUeA==}
@@ -1790,8 +1796,8 @@ packages:
   eastasianwidth@0.2.0:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-I88TYZWc9XiYHRQ4/3c5rjjfgkjhLyW2luGIheGERbNQ6OY7yTybanSpDXZa8y7VUP9YmDcYa+eyq4ca7iLqWA==}
 
-  electron-to-chromium@1.5.73:
-    resolution: {integrity: sha512-8wGNxG9tAG5KhGd3eeA0o6ixhiNdgr0DcHWm85XPCphwZgD1lIEoi6t3VERayWao7SF7AAZTw6oARGJeVjH8Kg==}
+  electron-to-chromium@1.5.76:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-CjVQyG7n7Sr+eBXE86HIulnL5N8xZY1sgmOPGuq/F0Rr0FJq63lg0kEtOIDfZBk44FnDLf6FUJ+dsJcuiUDdDQ==}
 
   emoji-regex@10.4.0:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-EC+0oUMY1Rqm4O6LLrgjtYDvcVYTy7chDnM4Q7030tP4Kwj3u/pR6gP9ygnp2CJMK5Gq+9Q2oqmrFJAz01DXjw==}
@@ -1905,8 +1911,8 @@ packages:
     peerDependencies:
       eslint: '>=8.40.0'
 
-  eslint-plugin-react-compiler@19.0.0-beta-201e55d-20241215:
-    resolution: {integrity: sha512-KTOMW6Z4Eg2r5BPT/BncbwPswfuVH9KPPDVszOTQFXGNlxhExL8IZoSE3blYxk4e0wFDbCcAwe4UlTauQ8lIww==}
+  eslint-plugin-react-compiler@19.0.0-beta-55955c9-20241229:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-KsE6bQrNvtPDbMb9EolZ2C+Z2/uv2Y5cAUgN+pzbriXjKlf1FkbgiyE153m2mIT6gEZq2OrtFvX7uJj5IrNQlg==}
     engines: {node: ^14.17.0 || ^16.0.0 || >= 18.0.0}
     peerDependencies:
       eslint: '>=7'
@@ -2949,6 +2955,11 @@ packages:
       next: '>= 13.4 < 15'
       react-instantsearch: '>= 7.1.0 < 8'
 
+  react-instantsearch-router-nextjs@7.13.9:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-uJ8LBERBr6+sXqauYOlLiVDgv9i+THrV5m6Ioa3VaiSXXy1DrDERhjnNpiBU3c7djR/4xRy6ydSNuNrM5/z8Uw==}
+    peerDependencies:
+      next: '>= 9 && < 15'
+
   react-instantsearch@7.13.9:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-UlllLY5blY7PaRVKMHw3gg42iR3Wwtp7g4833Vq2OqcYX4blaxUuveY8O2vEvAiQYek+MQgXqrkHTLHU4DvuiQ==}
     peerDependencies:
@@ -3538,7 +3549,7 @@ snapshots:
       eslint-config-prettier: 9.1.0(eslint@9.17.0(jiti@1.21.6))
       eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y: 6.10.2(eslint@9.17.0(jiti@1.21.6))
       eslint-plugin-react: 7.37.2(eslint@9.17.0(jiti@1.21.6))
-      eslint-plugin-react-compiler: 19.0.0-beta-201e55d-20241215(eslint@9.17.0(jiti@1.21.6))
+      eslint-plugin-react-compiler: 19.0.0-beta-55955c9-20241229(eslint@9.17.0(jiti@1.21.6))
       eslint-plugin-react-hooks: 5.1.0(eslint@9.17.0(jiti@1.21.6))
     transitivePeerDependencies:
       - eslint
@@ -5402,8 +5413,8 @@ snapshots:
 
   browserslist@4.24.3:
     dependencies:
-      caniuse-lite: 1.0.30001689
-      electron-to-chromium: 1.5.73
+      caniuse-lite: 1.0.30001690
+      electron-to-chromium: 1.5.76
       node-releases: 2.0.19
       update-browserslist-db: 1.1.1(browserslist@4.24.3)
 
@@ -5434,6 +5445,8 @@ snapshots:
 
   caniuse-lite@1.0.30001689: {}
 
+  caniuse-lite@1.0.30001690: {}
+
   chalk@4.1.2:
     dependencies:
       ansi-styles: 4.3.0
@@ -5610,7 +5623,7 @@ snapshots:
     dependencies:
       domelementtype: 2.3.0
 
-  domutils@3.1.0:
+  domutils@3.2.1:
     dependencies:
       dom-serializer: 2.0.0
       domelementtype: 2.3.0
@@ -5632,7 +5645,7 @@ snapshots:
 
   eastasianwidth@0.2.0: {}
 
-  electron-to-chromium@1.5.73: {}
+  electron-to-chromium@1.5.76: {}
 
   emoji-regex@10.4.0: {}
 
@@ -5828,7 +5841,7 @@ snapshots:
       eslint: 9.17.0(jiti@1.21.6)
       globals: 13.24.0
 
-  eslint-plugin-react-compiler@19.0.0-beta-201e55d-20241215(eslint@9.17.0(jiti@1.21.6)):
+  eslint-plugin-react-compiler@19.0.0-beta-55955c9-20241229(eslint@9.17.0(jiti@1.21.6)):
     dependencies:
       '@babel/core': 7.26.0
       '@babel/parser': 7.26.3
@@ -6200,7 +6213,7 @@ snapshots:
     dependencies:
       domelementtype: 2.3.0
       domhandler: 5.0.3
-      domutils: 3.1.0
+      domutils: 3.2.1
       entities: 4.5.0
 
   human-signals@5.0.0: {}
@@ -6957,6 +6970,15 @@ snapshots:
       next: 14.2.20(@babel/core@7.26.0)(@playwright/test@1.49.1)(react-dom@18.3.1(react@18.3.1))(react@18.3.1)
       react-instantsearch: 7.13.9(algoliasearch@5.13.0)(react-dom@18.3.1(react@18.3.1))(react@18.3.1)
 
+  react-instantsearch-router-nextjs@7.13.9(algoliasearch@5.13.0)(next@14.2.20(@babel/core@7.26.0)(@playwright/test@1.49.1)(react-dom@18.3.1(react@18.3.1))(react@18.3.1))(react@18.3.1):
+    dependencies:
+      instantsearch.js: 4.75.6(algoliasearch@5.13.0)
+      next: 14.2.20(@babel/core@7.26.0)(@playwright/test@1.49.1)(react-dom@18.3.1(react@18.3.1))(react@18.3.1)
+      react-instantsearch-core: 7.13.9(algoliasearch@5.13.0)(react@18.3.1)
+    transitivePeerDependencies:
+      - algoliasearch
+      - react
+
   react-instantsearch@7.13.9(algoliasearch@5.13.0)(react-dom@18.3.1(react@18.3.1))(react@18.3.1):
     dependencies:
       '@babel/runtime': 7.26.0