The marriage law of the ABGB was subdivided insofar, as some provisions should be applied for all married couples, some only to Catholics, some only to non catholic Christians (Protestants and Orthodox Christians) and some only to Jews. This article contains an overview on the most important marriage-provisions of the ABGB and on the de- velopment of marriage law until the Revolution of 1848. Seen from different points of view this development was marked by a catholic “Restauration”. Most provisions of the ABGB belonging to the marriage law were abolished by the Marriage Law of 1938, which was passed during the period of National Socialism. The abolished ABGB- provisions had referred to the legal preconditions and the procedure of marriages, but also to their dissolution.