A magnetic bearing for the contactless holding of a body in at least one direction by means of a magnetic field, comprising the following features: a first terminal and a second terminal between which a voltage signal (U c) can be applied; a first magnetization module having a first coil with a first coil end which is electrically connected to the first terminal and with a second coil end which is electrically connected to the second terminal so that, if the voltage signal (Uc) is applied, a first electric current (i 1) through the first coil induces a first magnetic field; a second magnetization module having a second coil with a first coil end which is electrically connected to the first terminal and with a second coil end which is electrically connected to the second terminal so that, if the voltage signal (Uc) is applied, a second electric current (i 2) through the second coil induces a second magnetic field; and a magnetic pre-magnetization module which generates a third magnetic field, wherein the first magnetization module, the second magnetization module and the pre-magnetization module are arranged such that, due to a control of the voltage signal (U c), the body introduced into the magnetic bearing floats in a contactless state between the first magnetization module, the second magnetization module and the pre-magnetization module due to an equilibrium of magnetic forces; and wherein, in order to detect a positional deviation of the body with respect to a reference position, the magnetic bearing comprises means to detect the difference between the time rate of change of the first current (i 1) and the time rate of change of the second current (i 2) or to detect the time rate of change of the difference between the first current (i 1) and the second current (i 2). a first terminal and a second terminal between which a voltage signal (U c) can be applied; a first magnetization module having a first coil with a first coil end which is electrically connected to the first terminal and with a second coil end which is electrically connected to the second terminal so that, if the voltage signal (Uc) is applied, a first electric current (i 1) through the first coil induces a first magnetic field; a second magnetization module having a second coil with a first coil end which is electrically connected to the first terminal and with a second coil end which is electrically connected to the second terminal so that, if the voltage signal (Uc) is applied, a second electric current (i 2) through the second coil induces a second magnetic field; and a magnetic pre-magnetization module which generates a third magnetic field, wherein the first magnetization module, the second magnetization module and the pre-magnetization module are arranged such that, due to a control of the voltage signal (U c), the body introduced into the magnetic bearing floats in a contactless state between the first magnetization module, the second magnetization module and the pre-magnetization module due to an equilibrium of magnetic forces; and wherein, in order to detect a positional deviation of the body with respect to a reference position, the magnetic bearing comprises means to detect the difference between the time rate of change of the first current (i 1) and the time rate of change of the second current (i 2) or to detect the time rate of change of the difference between the first current (i 1) and the second current (i 2).