Switching device with closable contacts and an extinguishing chamber which is associated with the contacts and has a first extinguishing area and a second extinguishing area arranged directly adjacent to the first extinguishing area, the first extinguishing area and the second extinguishing area being spatially separated from each other by a partition wall, and the switching device being configured in such a way that a switching arc which is generated when opening the contacts is always blown away from the point where it is generated in one of the two extinguishing areas by means of an arc blowing means of the switching device and is caused to be extinguished, whereas the respective other of the two extinguishing areas is not used for extinguishing, characterized in that the partition wall between the first extinguishing area and the second extinguishing area has at least one overflow opening which connects the first extinguishing area to the second extinguishing area in such a way that plasma which is generated by the switching arc can flow from the extinguishing area in which the switching arc is caused to be extinguished into the respective other, unused extinguishing area.