[en] The progress in investigations of the heaviest known elements in the recent years was only possible with an elaborate target technology. Large area thin and homogeneous targets of Pb and Bi, mounted on a rotating wheel to allow high projectile currents, were used in the experiments performed at the velocity filter SHIP at GSI Darmstadt. Various techniques for the on-line monitoring of the targets will be described and their importance for the experiments will be discussed. The experimental results from the investigations of the heaviest elements will be summarized briefly. (orig.)