A gripping device includes carriages or pivot arms carrying gripping elements. The carriages or pivot arms are mounted and guided in a base body and are drivable by at least one cylinder-piston unit. A switching module is mounted on the base body. The switching module includes at least one pressure medium connection and at least one electrical connection. At least one electrically controllable valve, which is switching a pressure medium, and at least one electronic controller for implementing external and internal control signals are arranged in the control module. The internal control signals originate from at least one sensor which detects at least one physical characteristic variable of the carriage(s) and/or the cylinder-piston unit at least in or on the base body. The gripping device can be adapted to at least one machine control system with a minimum interconnection and programming effort.