Abstract: An apparatus is described for the intermittent drive of a spindle (1) for a workpiece fixture, especially a forging machine, comprising a traction gear (7) consisting of a traction means (13) guided endlessly about a driving wheel (6) and a driven wheel (8), a continuous rotary drive (5) for the driving wheel (6) and a superposition drive (10) performing rotary oscillations. In order to provide advantageous constructional conditions it is proposed that the superposition drive (10) comprises a support (11) which can be displaced in a rotary oscillating manner about the axis of the driven wheel (8), and deflection rollers (12) held on the support (11) for the traction strands (14) moving towards and away from the driving wheel (6).