Method and apparatus for performing a database query using a bitmap index in a data-base having a plurality of bitmap vectors, the method comprising the steps of: upon receipt of a query containing a selection condition, creating a filter bitmap based on the query input; performing a bitmap scan for the filter bitmap in order to determine at least one value of an existing matching data-base entry; determining a bitmap of the determined at least one value; creating a filtered bitmap by combining the filter bitmap with the bitmap of the determined at least one value; determining all entries in the database matching the filtered bitmap; sub-tracting the filtered bitmap from the filter bitmap, thus creating a new filter bitmap; repeating the steps, starting with the step of performing a bitmap scan based on the new filter bitmap, until the step of sub-tracting results in an empty bitmap.