. . . . . . . . . . "In the process of the invention, at least one polycyclic olefin of the formula I, II, III, IV, V or VI is polymerized, preferably a cycloolefin of the formula I or III, in which R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7 and R8 are identical or different and are a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon radical, preferably a C6 -C10 -aryl radical or a C1 -C8 -alkyl radical, with the same radicals in the various formulae b" . . .