A filter device has a filter housing (1) having a fluid inlet (8) for unfiltered matter and having a fluid outlet (9) for filtrate, and has at least one one-piece or multi-part filter insert (15, 17) held in the filter housing (1). Filter insert (15, 17) can be cleaned using a backwash device (25) having at least one backwash element (31) in counter flow to the direction of filtration. The backwash element can be moved along the inside of the relevant filter insert (15, 17) by a fluid-conveying drive shaft (29) of a rotary drive (69, 71). The individual backwash element (31) has, at the end adjacent to this inside, at least one gap-shaped passage opening, which extends in parallel to the axis of rotation of the drive shaft (29) and which opens into a flow chamber connected to the drive shaft (29) in a fluid-conveying manner. At least one further backwash device (27) has a further backwash element (31). The fluid-conveying drive shaft (29) is divided into chambers (73, 75) separated from each other. One backwash element (31) of one backwash device (25) is connected to one of the chambers (73, 75). The other backwash element (31) of the other backwash device (27) is connected to another chamber (73, 75).