Abstract: The invention relates to a device for determining the position of a first shaft (10) and of a second shaft (12) that is joined to the first shaft by means of a coupling (14), with respect to each other, having a first measurement unit being placed on a circumferential surface of the first shaft and a second measurement unit being placed on a circumferential surface of the second shaft, wherein at least one of the two measurement units has means (20) for producing at least one light beam bundle (22) and at least one of the two measurement units has detection means (24, 25, 26) in order to detect the impingement position of the light beam bundle on at least one detection area (24, 25, 26).