the band wherein at the same time a hydraulic lubrication layer for the bearing means of the printing cylinder is formed upon the band the flexible band can extend across the entire width of the printing cylinder or the printing web or several laterally adjacent bands are provided whereby differing printing colors can be applied independently of each other upon different width portions of the printing cylinder it is an advantage to vary the length of the flexible band with an applicable apparatus so that the wrap angle of the band about the printing cylinder can be set and the band can be accommodated to differing diameters of the printing cylinder it is of particular advantage to journal the ends of the printing cylinder in a machine frame in connection with which the journals are provided with an arrangement for measuring the bearing forces the part over which the flexible band is tensioned is advantageously formed as a carriage movable in the press direction within a machine frame and is pressed via a placement apparatus that is controlled via a bearing sensor against the pressing cylinder with such force so as to unload the printing cylinder bearings and that the force is taken up practically only through the nearly friction free and low wearing hydraulic journalling of the printing cylinder upon the flexible band this means that the deflection forces operating in the printing cylinder are compensated in their extent and direction the carriage can additionally carry out a slow oscillating movement in the direction of the axis of the printing cylinder in order to prohibit a striation of the printing layer in an advantageous further embodiment of this invention the flexible.