Abstract: A method and apparatus for purifying an exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine includes an ammonia generating catalyst for generating ammonia from nitrogen oxides contained in the exhaust gas to be purified, and a nitrogen oxide reducing catalyst downstream of the ammonia generating catalyst, for reduction of nitrogen oxides contained in the exhaust gas to be purified. Generated ammonia is used as the reducing agent. A nitrogen oxide adsorption catalyst is arranged upstream of the ammonia generating catalyst, or the ammonia generating catalyst is arranged in an exhaust pipe branch which pertains to only a part of several separately controllable internal-combustion sources. One or more additional exhaust pipe branches assigned to the other internal-combustion sources and lead to the nitrogen oxide reducing catalyst, while bypassing the ammonia generating catalyst.