An apparatus for connecting metallic parts, and metallic parts so produced, by means of arc fusion welding by producing a low volume welding seam (narrow gap welding), wherein the workpiece parts to be joined and forming a narrow gap are initially welded at their butt joint by means of, for instance, electron-beam welding, plasma-arc welding, laser-beam welding or argon arc-welding to produce a base seam with or without filler material, and thereafter the workpiece flanks forming the narrow gap are united by alternately depositing weld beads at first one and the other workpiece flank by submerged-arc welding.