Abstract: A process for producing polymers or copolymers of ethylene, in which ethylene, optionally together with one or more copolymerizable compounds, is polymerized at a pressure above 50,000 kPa and a temperature of between 100.degree. and 400.degree. C. in the presence of an initiator, using an autoclave reactor and a tubular reactor connected in series with said autoclave reactor. The monomeric mixture in the presence of the initiator is passed first into a stirred autoclave, in which it is partially polymerized. Thereafter the reaction mixture from said autoclave, is passed through a heat exchanger, cooled to a pre-determined value, and then subsequently passed to a non-cooled tubular reactor, in which the further polymerization is carried out under adiabatic conditions.