In the dielectric barrier discharge lamps according to the invention, the
elongate, for example strip-like or linear, electrodes are each separated
into two electrode elements (14a, 14b; 15a, 15b) by a gap in the
longitudinal direction. This makes it possible, as intended, to operate
one element (14a, 15a) of the electrode elements separately from the
other element (14b, 15b) and, as a result, to cause either only one part
of the lamp to illuminate or the entire lamp. For this purpose, one
element (14a, 15a) of the electrode elements is connected to a first
operating device (22), and the other element (14b, 15b) to a second
operating device (21).