Abstract: The present invention relates to a grounding switch having a fixed switch piece attached to an equipment part to be grounded and a switch piece displacable relative to the fixed switch piece by a drive. The switch pieces partially form a switch-piece overlap in their closed position. It is desirable to arrange such a grounding switch such that, while maintaining its geometrical dimensions, it can switch even large currents such as short-circuit currents without the main contacts being overloaded by the switching arc. By the present invention, the switch pieces are each equipped with at least one main contact and at least one sparking contact surrounded at least partially by the respective main contact. One of the two sparking contacts is arranged as a bush and the other as a pin. The bush includes a follow-up contact or follow-up pin which is movable in the direction of displacement of the displacable switch piece. The follow-up contact is located substantially within the interior of the bush.