Bending device and method for producing a wire mesh

A bending device for producing a wire netting, in particular a safety net, which has a plurality of helices, which are braided with one another, and of which at least one helix is made from at least one single wire, a wire bundle, a wire strand, a wire rope, and/or another longitudinal element having at least one wire that comprises high-tensile steel, having at least one bending unit which, for producing a helix blank having at least two curved legs and having at least one bend point that connects the curved legs by a bending of the longitudinal element, has at least one guide worm and at least one braiding knife that is rotatable relative to the guide worm about a rotation axis, and having a braiding unit which is configured for braiding the helix blank into a pre-netting of the wire netting, comprising a straightening unit which is configured for an at least partial straightening of the curved legs, wherein the straightening unit is configured for compressing the helix blank in a pressing direction that is perpendicular to the rotation axis.