1. A security element for security papers, value documents and the like, comprising a micro-optical moiré magnification arrangement comprising a motif image that consists of a planar periodic or at least locally periodic arrangement of a plurality of micromotif elements, a planar periodic or at least locally periodic arrangement of a plurality of microfocusing elements for the moiré-magnified viewing of the micromotif elements of the motif image, and an optical spacing layer joined to the motif image and the arrangement of microfocusing elements, the motif image including two or more sub-regions comprising micromotif elements that differ from each other in their contrast, and the shape of the sub-regions forming a macroscopic piece of image information, in the form of characters, patterns or codes, that is perceptible due to the contrast differences in the micromotif elements; wherein the contrast differences are produced by a variation in the line width and/or the line depth and/or the color of the micromotif elements; wherein the motif image and the arrangement of microfocusing elements are joinedly arranged at opposing surfaces of the optical spacing layer.