Abstract: A process for obtaining anhydrous hydrogen chloride from chlorine-containing organic residues by combusting these in an oxygen-containing atmosphere and separating the hydrogen chloride from the water formed during combustion. The residues are combusted in an oxygen-containing atmosphere under superatmospheric pressure and at above 2,000.degree. C., the combustion products are then cooled and passed into a first cooling zone which contains a saturated solution of hydrogen chloride in water, the mixture of water, hydrogen chloride and the other combustion products is cooled in this zone and the mixture of gaseous hydrogen chloride and carbon dioxide is discharged from the cooling zone, cooled to a lower temperature in a second cooling zone, and separated from the aqueous hydrochloric acid.