Welding device, comprising: a conveying device for conveying a wire electrode of the welding device; a wire electrode contact device for electrically contacting the wire electrode; a reference electrode which is or can be electrically connected to a reference potential; an electrical parameter measuring device which is configured to measure an electrical parameter between the wire electrode contact device and the reference electrode; a welding torch with a contact tube which is or can be electrically connected to a defined electrical potential; and a control device which is configured to carry out at least one positioning method, characterised in that in the at least one positioning method the wire electrode is conveyed by the conveying device into a position with a defined free wire electrode length from a contact tube end of the contact tube, in that, for carrying out the at least one positioning method, the control device is configured: - to determine a current position of a wire electrode end of the wire electrode on the basis of at least one measurement in which a change in the electrical parameter measured by the electrical parameter measuring device is detected upon electrical contact between the wire electrode end and the contact tube while the wire electrode is being conveyed by the conveying device, while the contact tube is connected to the defined electrical potential and the reference electrode is connected to the reference potential; and - to control the conveying device using a known contact tube length of the contact tube, to convey the wire electrode on the basis of the determined current position until the defined free wire electrode length is present between the wire electrode end and the contact tube end. a conveying device for conveying a wire electrode of the welding device; a wire electrode contact device for electrically contacting the wire electrode; a reference electrode which is or can be electrically connected to a reference potential; an electrical parameter measuring device which is configured to measure an electrical parameter between the wire electrode contact device and the reference electrode; a welding torch with a contact tube which is or can be electrically connected to a defined electrical potential; and a control device which is configured to carry out at least one positioning method, characterised in that in the at least one positioning method the wire electrode is conveyed by the conveying device into a position with a defined free wire electrode length from a contact tube end of the contact tube, in that, for carrying out the at least one positioning method, the control device is configured: - to determine a current position of a wire electrode end of the wire electrode on the basis of at least one measurement in which a change in the electrical parameter measured by the electrical parameter measuring device is detected upon electrical contact between the wire electrode end and the contact tube while the wire electrode is being conveyed by the conveying device, while the contact tube is connected to the defined electrical potential and the reference electrode is connected to the reference potential; and - to control the conveying device using a known contact tube length of the contact tube, to convey the wire electrode on the basis of the determined current position until the defined free wire electrode length is present between the wire electrode end and the contact tube end. - to determine a current position of a wire electrode end of the wire electrode on the basis of at least one measurement in which a change in the electrical parameter measured by the electrical parameter measuring device is detected upon electrical contact between the wire electrode end and the contact tube while the wire electrode is being conveyed by the conveying device, while the contact tube is connected to the defined electrical potential and the reference electrode is connected to the reference potential; and - to control the conveying device using a known contact tube length of the contact tube, to convey the wire electrode on the basis of the determined current position until the defined free wire electrode length is present between the wire electrode end and the contact tube end.