Abstract: A holder provided, in particular, for fluorescent lamps with a two-pin base has a branching insertion slot which preferably has a circular section and, intersecting the latter, a section of rectilinear construction. Arranged on both sides of the bifurcation, which is next to the mouth of the insertion slot and at which the rectilinear part of the insertion slot intersects the circular part of the insertion slot, are latching members which require a force of at least 10 N to be overridden. The latching members act directly on the contact pins of the fluorescent lamp. The result of this is to avoid one contact pin coming into contact with a live contact before the other contact pin has actually been inserted into the holder in a shockproof fashion. Fluorescent lamps are inserted in a conventional way by inserting the contact pins into the rectilinear region of the insertion slot and by rotating the fluorescent lamp by 90°. The fluorescent lamp is withdrawn in the opposite way.