The invention relates to functionalized polyazoles containing recurrent imidazole units of general formula (1a) and/or (1b) and/or (1c) and/or (2), in which the radicals Ar, Ar<1> and Ar<2> represent tetravalent, divalent, or trivalent aromatic or heteroaromatic groups, Y represents a bond or a group comprising 1 to 20 carbon atoms, v represents a whole number between 1 and 10, and Z represents agroup of general formula (3) or (4), in which R<1> and R<2> independently represent a carbon atom or a group comprising 1 to 20 carbon atoms. The inventive functionalized polyazoles are characterizedby the fact that the polyazole is soluble in organic solvents. The invention also relates to intermediate products and methods for producing said polyazoles as well as polymer electrolyte membranes and fuel cells containing the inventive polyazoles.