Abstract: An apparatus for the tensioning and relaxing of a safety belt including an elongated housing, a tensioning piston, and a tie rod for connection with the safety belt and arranged for retraction relative to the housing in response to pressure on the tensioning piston as well as being arranged thereafter for extension relative to the housing with a delay in response to tensile stress on the safety belt. A hydraulic damping arrangement including a damping cylinder containing a liquid and damping piston coupled with the tensioning piston is provided for forming a telescopic arrangement such that after the tensioning piston effects the retraction of the tie rod and reaches an arrested retracted position thereof, the hydraulic damping arrangement enables damped extension of the tie rod relative to the housing by displacement of the damping piston which in turn displaces liquid in the damping cylinder in response to tensile stress on the safety belt.