Abstract: Caprolactam is obtained from caprolactam-containing polymers in the presence of a base under reduced pressure by depolymerizing polymers which contain the repeating unit --[--N(H)--(CH.sub.2).sub.5 --C(O)--] or mixtures consisting essentially offrom 50 to 99.99% by weight of a polymer containing the repeating unit --[--N(H)--(CH.sub.2).sub.5 --C(O)--]--from 0.01 to 50% by weight of additives selected from the group consisting of inorganic fillers, organic and inorganic pigments and dyes,from 0 to 10% by weight of organic and/or inorganic additives,from 0 to 40% by weight of non-polyamide-containing polymers andfrom 0 to 20% by weight of polyamides, with the exception of polycaprolactam and copolyamides prepared from caprolactam,in at least two depolymerization reactors connected in series.