A method for the manufacture of dabigatran of formula VIII, in which the product of a reaction of 4-ethylamino-3-nitrobenzoic acid chloride with ethyl-3-(pyridin-2-ylamino)propanoate, is converted to the hydrochloride using a hydrogen chloride solution producing the compound of formula III-HCl, in which the nitro group is reduced by means of a reaction with sodium dithionite, and the resulting compound of formula IV is subjected to a reaction with [(4-cyanophenyl)amino]acetic acid and oxalic acid, the product of this reaction VI-oxal is then subjected to hydrolysis and a reaction with ammonium carbonate to produce the intermediate of formula VII-HCl, which is then converted to dabigatran by means of a reaction with hexyl chloroformate.