1. An arrangement for machine character recognition comprising: a classifier device comprising a group classifier and a plurality of sub-classifiers each storing classifier coefficients; a feature memory for receiving and storing a respective bit pattern corresponding to each respective character to be classified, said feature memory connected to said classifier device; a read-only memory for storing link addresses of the data contained in the feature memory and the appertaining classifier coefficients contained in said classifier device, said read-only memory connected to said group classifier and to said plurality of sub-classifiers and to said feature memory; an arithmetic unit for calculating first and second estimated values assigned to the individual character classes within a character set from the bit pattern, stored in said feature memory for classification, on the basis of the classifier coefficients, said arithmetic unit connected to said feature memory and to said group classifier and said subclassifiers; and a microprocessor connected to said feature memory and to said arithmetic unit, said group classifier storing such character coefficients that the character to be classified is respectively assigned to one of n character groups on the basis of the calculated first estimated values, said microprocessor operable to select a respective subclassifier for each of the n groups and respectively assigned to different Z/n character classes as a function of the first estimated values, where Z is the total number of classes within the character set, said microprocessor further operable in response to the classifier coefficients received from one of said subclassifiers and the second estimated values calculatable therefrom by said arithmetic unit to supply an output signal defining the character classified.