The invention relates to polyvinyl alcohols and polyvinyl acetals which contain silane and can be obtained by means of a) radical polymerization of at least one vinyl ester of unbranched or branched alkyl carboxylic acids comprising between 1 and 18 C atoms, in the presence of aldehydes containing silane or the hemiacetals or full acetals thereof, b) saponification of the vinyl ester polymers obtained thereby, and optionally c) acetalation of the partially saponified or fully saponified vinyl ester polymers.