Abstract: A method for fragmenting and/or weakening pourable material with high-voltage discharges includes guiding an annular or arcuate material flow past a high-voltage electrode assembly while immersed in a process liquid, by means of which high-voltage electrode assembly high-voltage punctures through the material flow are produced in that high-voltage pulses are applied to the high-voltage electrodes of the high-voltage electrode assembly by means of a high-voltage generator. Material is fed to the flow upstream of the high-voltage electrode assembly, and material is led away from the flow downstream of the high-voltage electrode assembly. This enables a continuous process, in which the speed of the material and the intensity of the high-voltage punctures can be set in wide ranges, and any insufficiently processed material can be fed back to the process zone over a short distance and practically without additional space requirement.