In a process for the preparation of alcohols by catalytic hydrogenation of carbonyl compounds, the catalyst used is 0.01 to 50% by weight of rhenium and 0 to 20% by weight, in each case based on the total weight of the catalyst, of at least one further metal chosen from Zn, Cu, Ag, Au, Ni, Fe, Cr, V on oxidatively pretreated activated carbon as support.