A belt retractor comprising a belt reel rotatably mounted in a frame securable to a vehicle and on which a seatbelt can be wound, and a blocking device arranged on a mechanical side of the belt reel and which blocks the belt reel when a specified seatbelt pull-out acceleration and/or a vehicle deceleration is exceeded, activating the blocking device in the pull-out direction of the seatbelt, and an electric motor for rotating the belt reel, and a gearing mechanism which transmits the rotational movement from the electric motor to the belt reel, wherein the electric motor and gearing mechanism are arranged coaxial to the rotational axis of the belt reel and in series relative to the belt reel; and a transfer rod is provided arranged coaxial to the rotational axis of the belt reel and in series with the belt reel.