Abstract: A method for controlling a relational database system by executing a database query in a relational database which contains, as an associated data structure, a plurality of data tables interconnected through relations, by using a database language, with a table of the relations being provided. A processable database statement without relation-related operations is created by indicating the data tables to which the processing functions are to be applied and by indicating the order of the selected data tables according to which the processing is to be carried out, and an access path, which concretely states the order of access to the database, is determined by first computing a partial access path, via the table of relations, between each two subsequent, selected data tables on the basis of the relations which exist between the subsequent data tables, and then assembling the access path from all computed partial access paths.