A chromium-based oxidation protection layer for substrates that are subjected to high temperatures in which the layer includes a chromium-containing layer system that has a base layer and a functional layer, the base layer is situated between the substrate and the functional layer, the base layer contains at least mostly chromium nitride, and the functional layer contains chromium oxide. According to certain embodiments, the chromium-containing layer system has a functional layer having a multilayer structure that includes alters deposited individual layers A and B, the composition of the individual layers A differs from the composition of the individual layers B, the individual layers A contain at least mostly aluminum chromium nitride or chromium nitride, and the individual layers B contain at least mostly aluminum chromium oxide or chromium oxide or aluminum chromium oxynitride or chromium oxynitride.