Abstract: According to an illustrative example of the present invention, a gas spring comprises a pressure tube, a piston rod and a piston connected with the piston rod within the pressure tube. The piston divides the pressure tube into two working spaces, the two working spaces are connected by a control flow passage. A control valve body is allocated to the control valve passage and is controlled through a bore of the piston rod. The control valve body contains an excess pressure flow passage. An excess pressure valve member is provided within the excess pressure flow passage and biased toward an excess pressure valve seat of said control valve body.