[en] Hydrogen embrittlement of type 304 austenitic stainless steel was studied by charging thin tensile specimens with hydrogen through cathodic polarization. The elognation decreases with cathodic charging but no longer at the excess of a critical current density. The increase in hydrogen cracking susceptibility by sensitizing is attributted deformation induced martensite and the transport of hydrogen, as cottrell atmosphere on dislocation. The effect of cold working in the case of sensitizing at 800 deg C was that the elongation increases with the degree of cold work. The fracture mode was changed from intergranular to transgranular by cold working and sensitizing. (Author)