A device for connecting two workpieces (21, 22) by means of laser transmission welding via a given weld pattern consisting of a plurality of weld seams, said device comprising: a receptacle, which is configured to position two workpieces (21, 22) with respect to each other in the x, y and z directions of a Cartesian coordinate system, said workpieces (21, 22) extending in x-y direction; a laser beam source, which is directed with its beam direction in the z-direction onto the receptacle and thus onto the workpieces (21, 22) positioned therein and which extends over the device in the x-direction; a movement device for moving the laser beam source with respect to the receptacle in the y-direction; a contact pressure unit arranged downstream of the laser beam source in the beam direction and relatively movable towards the receptacle in the z-direction, having several channels provided therein which pass through the contact pressure unit in the beam direction and comprise opposing channel walls (16.1) which reflect at least part of the laser beam directed onto the workpieces (21, 22) before it impinges on the workpieces (21, 22) and which are configured to press the workpieces (21, 22) against each other in the z-direction; as well as a storage and control unit, characterised in that the channel walls (16.1) are formed by a grid-like arrangement of planar plate-shaped first and second pressure elements (11, 12) oriented in the x- and y-directions, wherein at least one of said first pressure elements is oriented in the x-direction and one is oriented in the y-direction and is rigid in the z-direction, and a plurality of second pressure elements differentiate, according to their orientation, into shortened second pressure elements, which do not contact the workpieces (21, 22), and elastic second pressure elements, which comprise integrated means for compensating for tolerances in the z-direction. a receptacle, which is configured to position two workpieces (21, 22) with respect to each other in the x, y and z directions of a Cartesian coordinate system, said workpieces (21, 22) extending in x-y direction; a laser beam source, which is directed with its beam direction in the z-direction onto the receptacle and thus onto the workpieces (21, 22) positioned therein and which extends over the device in the x-direction; a movement device for moving the laser beam source with respect to the receptacle in the y-direction; a contact pressure unit arranged downstream of the laser beam source in the beam direction and relatively movable towards the receptacle in the z-direction, having several channels provided therein which pass through the contact pressure unit in the beam direction and comprise opposing channel walls (16.1) which reflect at least part of the laser beam directed onto the workpieces (21, 22) before it impinges on the workpieces (21, 22) and which are configured to press the workpieces (21, 22) against each other in the z-direction; as well as a storage and control unit, characterised in that the channel walls (16.1) are formed by a grid-like arrangement of planar plate-shaped first and second pressure elements (11, 12) oriented in the x- and y-directions, wherein at least one of said first pressure elements is oriented in the x-direction and one is oriented in the y-direction and is rigid in the z-direction, and a plurality of second pressure elements differentiate, according to their orientation, into shortened second pressure elements, which do not contact the workpieces (21, 22), and elastic second pressure elements, which comprise integrated means for compensating for tolerances in the z-direction.