In a method for winding an electrical machine, a winding auxiliary body is placed on at least one of the end faces of a base body such as to cover at least one of the slot end openings within a circumferential bridging area. Electrical conductors of a winding system are inserted in at least one of the slots whose slot end opening is on one side of the bridging area and passed through an uncovered slot end opening. Subsequently, the electrical conductors are deflected by the winding auxiliary body and guided to a further uncovered one of the slot end openings on another side of the bridging area. After placement of an end plate having an axially projecting separating element and plugging an axial attachment cutout of the winding auxiliary body onto the separating element, the winding auxiliary body is removed, thereby producing a winding element of the winding system.