A device for starting an internal combustion engine for hand-held tools, chainsaws, lawnmowers, trimmers and the like, includes a rotatable pulling medium roller which can be brought into functional connection with the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine in order to bring about a rotation of the crankshaft. The starting device has a simply configured functional connection between the crankshaft and the pulling medium roller and effectively reduces the force peaks reaching the pulling medium roller. To accomplish this, a deformation body having elastic deformation behaviour is arranged in the functional connection between the pulling medium roller and the crankshaft. The deformation body compensates for leading or lagging of the crankshaft with respect to the pulling medium roller.