energy absorbing device 100 which is shown the guiding region 15 of the energy absorbing member 10 is in the form of a guiding tube whose inside diameter is larger than the outside diameter of the mating member 20 in the form of a piston in this way that region 22 of the mating member 20 which is adjacent the energy absorbing member 10 can be held telescopically by the energy absorbing member as can be seen particularly from the view in fig3 the inside diameter of the energy absorbing member 10 which overall is of a tubular form is smaller in the energy absorbing region 11 than the outside diameter of the mating member 20 the edge 13 which is provided at the transition between the guiding region 15 and the energy absorbing region 11 thus constitutes an abutment against which the mating member 20 in the form of a piston butts the energy absorbing device 100 shown in fig2 is so designed that shock forces applied to the energy absorbing device 100 and in particular to the mating member 20 in the form of a piston are applied to the end face 25 remote from the energy absorbing member 10 of the mating member 20 for this purpose it is conceivable for an anti ride up device 26 to be mounted at the end face 25 of the mating member 20 this is of.