A switching device, comprising - a first terminal contact, - a first fixed contact arranged at the first terminal contact, - a contact bridge, - a first movable contact arranged at the contact bridge, - a second terminal contact, - a second fixed contact arranged at the second terminal contact, - a second movable contact arranged at the contact bridge, and - a magnetic drive assembly which comprises a coil and an armature, wherein the armature is coupled to the contact bridge, wherein the first fixed contact is in contact to the first movable contact in a switched-on state of the switching device, wherein the first fixed contact is free of contact to the first movable contact in a switched-off state of the switching device, wherein the second fixed contact is in contact to the second movable contact in the switched-on state of the switching device, wherein the second fixed contact is free of contact to the second movable contact in the switched-off state of the switching device, and wherein the first terminal contact has a bended form such that a load current that flows through the first terminal contact, the first fixed contact, the first movable contact and the contact bridge has a U-formed path in the switched-on state, wherein the switching device comprises a contact bridge carrier which is arranged at the contact bridge and comprises a barrier, wherein the barrier is located between the first and the second terminal contact (17, 18), and wherein the switching device is realized as a circuit breaker, characterized in that the contact bridge carrier is rigidly attached to the contact bridge, wherein the armature is coupled via a contact spring to the contact bridge carrier and thus to the contact bridge, and wherein the barrier encloses the contact bridge at the middle of the contact bridge. - a first terminal contact, - a first fixed contact arranged at the first terminal contact, - a contact bridge, - a first movable contact arranged at the contact bridge, - a second terminal contact, - a second fixed contact arranged at the second terminal contact, - a second movable contact arranged at the contact bridge, and - a magnetic drive assembly which comprises a coil and an armature, wherein the armature is coupled to the contact bridge, wherein the first fixed contact is in contact to the first movable contact in a switched-on state of the switching device, wherein the first fixed contact is free of contact to the first movable contact in a switched-off state of the switching device, wherein the second fixed contact is in contact to the second movable contact in the switched-on state of the switching device, wherein the second fixed contact is free of contact to the second movable contact in the switched-off state of the switching device, and wherein the first terminal contact has a bended form such that a load current that flows through the first terminal contact, the first fixed contact, the first movable contact and the contact bridge has a U-formed path in the switched-on state, wherein the switching device comprises a contact bridge carrier which is arranged at the contact bridge and comprises a barrier, wherein the barrier is located between the first and the second terminal contact (17, 18), and wherein the switching device is realized as a circuit breaker, characterized in that the contact bridge carrier is rigidly attached to the contact bridge, wherein the armature is coupled via a contact spring to the contact bridge carrier and thus to the contact bridge, and wherein the barrier encloses the contact bridge at the middle of the contact bridge.