Apparatus for removing the branches from living trees, - having a basic framework for accommodating and fastening the components of the apparatus, - having mutually offset drive belts which can be moved up to the bark of the tree, butt under pressure against the bark and move the apparatus upwards, and then downwards again, on the tree and then can be moved away from the tree, - having a cutting tool for removing the branches during the upward movement of the apparatus, wherein the cutting tool can be moved from a rest position into an operating position for the purpose of removing the branches, and the cutting tool is formed by a movable circular saw (46, 48) with non-set teeth (50, 52), characterized in that the cutting tool is formed by two mutually opposite circular saws (46, 48) which have non-set teeth (50, 52) and can be moved in a circle around the tree, and in that the teeth (50, 52), which belong to the two mutually opposite circular saws (46, 48) and saw off the branch in each case, are always diametrically opposed and are spaced apart from the tree by a predetermined equal distance, regardless of the respective diameter of the tree, and therefore the branches are always sawn off at diametrically opposed points of the tree, regardless of the respective diameter of the tree, and also comprising - a turntable, which can be rotated in a circle around the tree in a horizontal direction, wherein - the turntable comprises two semicircular segments (14, 16), which are connected to one another by means of a common pin and can be swung apart from one another, and swung together to form a circle, and arrested, in their operating position, about said pin, - each semicircular segment (14, 16) has arranged on it a lever (18, 20) which can be pivoted about a point of rotation (28, 34) and has a respective force arm (22, 30) and a respective load arm (24, 32), - the circular saw (46,48), which serves as a cutting tool and together with the turntable moves in a circle around the tree, is arranged in each case at the outer ends of the load arms (24, 32), said outer ends being directed away from the points of rotation (28, 34) of the levers (18, 20), - the circular saws (46, 48) are arranged on the associated load arms (24, 32), and the levers (18, 20) can be pivoted, such that the teeth (50, 52), which belong to the two circular saws (46, 48) and saw off the branch in each case, are always diametrically opposed and are spaced apart from the tree by an equal distance, regardless of the diameter of the tree at any one time, and therefore the branches are always sawn off at diametrically opposed points, regardless of the respective diameter of the tree. - having a basic framework for accommodating and fastening the components of the apparatus, - having mutually offset drive belts which can be moved up to the bark of the tree, butt under pressure against the bark and move the apparatus upwards, and then downwards again, on the tree and then can be moved away from the tree, - having a cutting tool for removing the branches during the upward movement of the apparatus, wherein the cutting tool can be moved from a rest position into an operating position for the purpose of removing the branches, and the cutting tool is formed by a movable circular saw (46, 48) with non-set teeth (50, 52), characterized in that the cutting tool is formed by two mutually opposite circular saws (46, 48) which have non-set teeth (50, 52) and can be moved in a circle around the tree, and in that the teeth (50, 52), which belong to the two mutually opposite circular saws (46, 48) and saw off the branch in each case, are always diametrically opposed and are spaced apart from the tree by a predetermined equal distance, regardless of the respective diameter of the tree, and therefore the branches are always sawn off at diametrically opposed points of the tree, regardless of the respective diameter of the tree, and also comprising - a turntable, which can be rotated in a circle around the tree in a horizontal direction, wherein - the turntable comprises two semicircular segments (14, 16), which are connected to one another by means of a common pin and can be swung apart from one another, and swung together to form a circle, and arrested, in their operating position, about said pin, - each semicircular segment (14, 16) has arranged on it a lever (18, 20) which can be pivoted about a point of rotation (28, 34) and has a respective force arm (22, 30) and a respective load arm (24, 32), - the circular saw (46,48), which serves as a cutting tool and together with the turntable moves in a circle around the tree, is arranged in each case at the outer ends of the load arms (24, 32), said outer ends being directed away from the points of rotation (28, 34) of the levers (18, 20), - the circular saws (46, 48) are arranged on the associated load arms (24, 32), and the levers (18, 20) can be pivoted, such that the teeth (50, 52), which belong to the two circular saws (46, 48) and saw off the branch in each case, are always diametrically opposed and are spaced apart from the tree by an equal distance, regardless of the diameter of the tree at any one time, and therefore the branches are always sawn off at diametrically opposed points, regardless of the respective diameter of the tree.