Method and device for braking a trailer of a towing vehicle trailer combination

The method involves monitoring a friction braking system of a towing vehicle by an electronic monitoring and control device (18) to check whether a brake demand signal is controlled due to a braking request in the friction braking system of the towing vehicle. A trailer brake (16) is automatically activated by the electronic monitoring and control device if no braking demand signal is controlled in a friction brake system of a towing vehicle and the detected deceleration of a trailer (2) exceeds a predetermined limit. An independent claim is also included for a device for automatically braking a trailer of a towing vehicle trailer combination.