a welding torch , in particular a handheld welding torch , for a melting welding wire , which is guided in a wire core arranged within a protective hose , fastens the protective hose and the welding core within a torch housing of the welding torch independently from one another . for minimizing stresses on the welding torch by the hose package , the protective hose is fastened rotatably and pivotably and the wire core is fastened rotatably to the torch housing .