This paper reviews the basic properties of the infrared free-electron laser FELBE at the Forschungszentrum Dresden-Rossendorf. A few highlight experiments using the cw-operation are discussed. Driven by a superconducting linear accelerator, FELBE continuously generates infrared pulses with a repetition rate of 13 MHz. In addition, operation in a macropulse modus (pulse duration ≥ 100μs, repetition rate ≤ 25 Hz) is possible. At present FELBE delivers μJ pulses with typical duration of about 0.9-30 ps in the wavelength range 4-230 μm. Furthermore we give an outlook on experiments which will use the beam of FELBE in the High Magnetic Field Laboratory Dresden (HLD). The HLD currently provides pulsed magnetic fields up to 60 T. It operates as a user facility since 2007.