A transfer apparatus for transferring, lifting and lowering anode plates and cathode plates above, from and into an electrolytic cell, said anode plates each having a pair of hanging lugs at its upper end corners, the apparatus comprising - an overhead crane which is movable above the electrolytic cell, the overhead crane comprising a trolley, - a grab device which is suspended from the trolley so that the grab device is vertically movable, - a plurality of cathode hooks connected to the grab device and configured to grab the cathode plates, - a plurality of anode hooks, each anode hook comprising a vertical rotation shaft having an upper end rotatably connected to the grab device and a lower end, and a transversal member attached at the lower end, each anode hook being configured to be insertable into a spacing between an anode plate and a neighbouring cathode plate residing in the electrolysis cell at a first side of each anode plate to be grabbed and lifted; - a driving mechanism for turning the rotation shafts of the anode hooks between a release position and a grabbing position, in which release position the transversal members are adjacent to and in parallel with the hanging lugs of the anode plates residing in the electrolysis cell, and in which grabbing position the transversal members are turned to extend transversally and underneath in relation to the hanging lugs of the anode plates residing in the electrolysis cell to be able to support the anode plates for lifting, characterized in that the apparatus comprises a plurality of counterpart members which are fixedly attached to the grab device, each counterpart member being arranged in pair and co-operation with an anode hook, and each counterpart member being configured to be insertable into a spacing between an anode plate and neighboring cathode plate residing in the electrolysis cell at the second side of said anode plate to be grabbed and lifted so that the hanging lug of said anode plate to be grabbed and lifted is between said pair of the anode hook and the counterpart member; and that the counterpart member comprises a slot into which a part of the transversal member is receivable when the anode hook is turned to the grabbing position. - an overhead crane which is movable above the electrolytic cell, the overhead crane comprising a trolley, - a grab device which is suspended from the trolley so that the grab device is vertically movable, - a plurality of cathode hooks connected to the grab device and configured to grab the cathode plates, - a plurality of anode hooks, each anode hook comprising a vertical rotation shaft having an upper end rotatably connected to the grab device and a lower end, and a transversal member attached at the lower end, each anode hook being configured to be insertable into a spacing between an anode plate and a neighbouring cathode plate residing in the electrolysis cell at a first side of each anode plate to be grabbed and lifted; - a driving mechanism for turning the rotation shafts of the anode hooks between a release position and a grabbing position, in which release position the transversal members are adjacent to and in parallel with the hanging lugs of the anode plates residing in the electrolysis cell, and in which grabbing position the transversal members are turned to extend transversally and underneath in relation to the hanging lugs of the anode plates residing in the electrolysis cell to be able to support the anode plates for lifting, characterized in that the apparatus comprises a plurality of counterpart members which are fixedly attached to the grab device, each counterpart member being arranged in pair and co-operation with an anode hook, and each counterpart member being configured to be insertable into a spacing between an anode plate and neighboring cathode plate residing in the electrolysis cell at the second side of said anode plate to be grabbed and lifted so that the hanging lug of said anode plate to be grabbed and lifted is between said pair of the anode hook and the counterpart member; and that the counterpart member comprises a slot into which a part of the transversal member is receivable when the anode hook is turned to the grabbing position.