Position measuring device for capturing the position of an object along a third axis (z) that is oriented perpendicular to two orthogonal, first and second main movement axes (y, x) of the object, having - a light source (2.1) that emits a beam along the first main movement axis (y) in the direction of the object, - a material measure that is arranged at the object and that consists of graduation marks which are arranged at periodic intervals along the third axis (z), - at least one reflector that is arranged at a distance from the object along the third axis (z), - a retroreflector arrangement (2.6) and - a detector arrangement (2.5), which are arranged and embodied in such a way that position signals in respect of the movement of the object along the third axis (z) are producible from the superposition of a measurement beam that was produced from the beam and a reference beam, wherein - the beam emitted by the light source (2.1) experiences a split into a measurement beam and into a reference beam in the retroreflector arrangement (2.6), - the measurement beam propagates in the direction of the material measure and experiences a first reflection and diffraction in the direction of the reflector thereby, - the measurement beam experiences a first back-reflection in the direction of the material measure at the reflector, - the measurement beam experiences a first back-reflection in the direction of the retroreflector arrangement (2.6) at the material measure, the measurement beam experiencing a retroreflection and back-reflection in the direction of the material measure at said retroreflector arrangement (2.6), - the measurement beam experiences a second reflection and diffraction in the direction of the reflector at the material measure, - the measurement beam experiences a second back-reflection in the direction of the material measure at the reflector, - the measurement beam experiences a second back-reflection in the direction of the retroreflector arrangement (2.6) at the material measure and - the reference beam passes through the retroreflector arrangement (2.6) and then - experiences a superposition with the measurement beam incident after the second back-reflection at the material measure and the superposed pair of measurement and reference beam propagates in the direction of the detector arrangement (2.6). - a light source (2.1) that emits a beam along the first main movement axis (y) in the direction of the object, - a material measure that is arranged at the object and that consists of graduation marks which are arranged at periodic intervals along the third axis (z), - at least one reflector that is arranged at a distance from the object along the third axis (z), - a retroreflector arrangement (2.6) and - a detector arrangement (2.5), which are arranged and embodied in such a way that position signals in respect of the movement of the object along the third axis (z) are producible from the superposition of a measurement beam that was produced from the beam and a reference beam, wherein - the beam emitted by the light source (2.1) experiences a split into a measurement beam and into a reference beam in the retroreflector arrangement (2.6), - the measurement beam propagates in the direction of the material measure and experiences a first reflection and diffraction in the direction of the reflector thereby, - the measurement beam experiences a first back-reflection in the direction of the material measure at the reflector, - the measurement beam experiences a first back-reflection in the direction of the retroreflector arrangement (2.6) at the material measure, the measurement beam experiencing a retroreflection and back-reflection in the direction of the material measure at said retroreflector arrangement (2.6), - the measurement beam experiences a second reflection and diffraction in the direction of the reflector at the material measure, - the measurement beam experiences a second back-reflection in the direction of the material measure at the reflector, - the measurement beam experiences a second back-reflection in the direction of the retroreflector arrangement (2.6) at the material measure and - the reference beam passes through the retroreflector arrangement (2.6) and then - experiences a superposition with the measurement beam incident after the second back-reflection at the material measure and the superposed pair of measurement and reference beam propagates in the direction of the detector arrangement (2.6).