The processes involved are fundamentally different for stationary cracks and propagating cracks. Whereas local crack front reorientation plays an important role in propagating cracks, the multiplication mechanism at stationary cracks is connected with cross-slip in the highly inhomogeneous stress field of the crack. Analysis of the forces acting on the dislocations allows to determine which dislocations multiply and the slip systems they activate. These results provide the necessary physical link between pre-existing dislocations and the generation of dislocations at crack tips.