In an internal combustion engine and a method of operation the internal combustion engine which includes a high pressure and a low pressure turbocharger having exhaust gas turbines arranged in series in an engine exhaust line provided with a high pressure exhaust gas recirculation line and a low pressure exhaust gas recirculation line via which exhaust gas can be conducted to an inlet line of the engine, the arrangement is switchable depending on the engine speed between an exhaust gas recirculation by way of the high pressure line and an exhaust gas recirculation by way of both, the high pressure and the low pressure line, to achieve low emissions and low fuel consumption.