Method for generating a cryptographic time stamp for a digital document using a plurality of time servers , comprising: a) generating (S1) a nonce value and determining a current hash value by applying a predetermined hash function to the nonce value and to the digital document ; b) repeatedly carrying out (S2) the following steps: b1) selecting one of the plurality of time servers , b2) transmitting the current hash value to the selected time server , b3) receiving a response which is created by the selected time server and comprises a digital signature of the current hash value and a time specification , b4) determining a further hash value by applying the predetermined hash function to the received response , and b5) using the further hash value as the current hash value ; and c) forming (S3) the cryptographic time stamp for the digital document from the nonce value and the plurality of received responses , wherein in each step b4), the determination of the further hash value comprises generating a further nonce value and is carried out by applying the predetermined hash function to the further nonce value and to the received response , in step c), the cryptographic time stamp for the digital document is formed from the plurality of nonce values and the plurality of received responses , and the cryptographic time stamp comprises a sequence of the plurality of nonce values , of the plurality of received digital signatures and of the plurality of received time specifications . a) generating (S1) a nonce value and determining a current hash value by applying a predetermined hash function to the nonce value and to the digital document ; b) repeatedly carrying out (S2) the following steps: b1) selecting one of the plurality of time servers , b2) transmitting the current hash value to the selected time server , b3) receiving a response which is created by the selected time server and comprises a digital signature of the current hash value and a time specification , b4) determining a further hash value by applying the predetermined hash function to the received response , and b5) using the further hash value as the current hash value ; and b1) selecting one of the plurality of time servers , b2) transmitting the current hash value to the selected time server , b3) receiving a response which is created by the selected time server and comprises a digital signature of the current hash value and a time specification , b4) determining a further hash value by applying the predetermined hash function to the received response , and b5) using the further hash value as the current hash value ; and c) forming (S3) the cryptographic time stamp for the digital document from the nonce value and the plurality of received responses , wherein in each step b4), the determination of the further hash value comprises generating a further nonce value and is carried out by applying the predetermined hash function to the further nonce value and to the received response , in step c), the cryptographic time stamp for the digital document is formed from the plurality of nonce values and the plurality of received responses , and the cryptographic time stamp comprises a sequence of the plurality of nonce values , of the plurality of received digital signatures and of the plurality of received time specifications . <EOS>