[en] The cyclic deformation behaviour of the die-casting magnesium alloy AZ91 was investigated at constant total strain amplitudes between 1.4 x 10^-3 and 2 x 10^-2 at room temperature (20 C) and at 130 C. At low total strain amplitudes, a weak cyclic softening at the beginning of the fatigue tests is followed by cyclic hardening, whereas at high total strain amplitudes a strong cyclic hardening occurs throughout. The fatigue lives at 130 C are slightly longer at high strain amplitudes but shorter at low strain amplitudes than at room temperature. The fatigue life data for both temperatures can be described well by the laws of Manson-Coffin and Basquin. The microstructural investigations performed show the strong influence of several microstructural features on the initiation and propagation of fatigue cracks. In order to understand the fatigue crack propagation behaviour, fatigue tests were interrupted at certain numbers of cycles in order to make replicas of the surface of the samples. It could be verified that crack propagation occurs mainly by the coalescence of smaller cracks. Furthermore, unloading tests, performed within a closed cycle, were carried out in order to capture the changes of stiffness (compliance) during a closed cycle with the aim to ascertain the damage evolution occurring during the fatigue tests and to determine the stresses at which the cracks open and close. Finally, two-step fatigue tests were carried out with the objective to quantify deviations from the linear damage rule (LDR) of Palmgren and Miner. The results obtained in this study will be used to formulate a microstructurally based life-prediction concept for single-step as well as for two-step fatigue loading. (orig.)