A thyristor having a semiconductor body, wherein, in the vertical direction (v), from the back face to the front face situated opposite to the back face, a n-doped emitter, a n-doped base, a p-doped base and a n-doped emitter are successively arranged, and which comprises the following features: - an ignition stage structure with at least one ignition stage (AG1, AG2, AG3, AG4), each of which comprises an n-doped ignition stage emitter (51, 52, 53, 54) spaced apart from the n-doped emitter, which is embedded in the p-doped base; - an electrode, which, on the front face, contacts one of the ignition stage emitters (51, 52, 53, 54) and, with said one shares a first contact surface, and which contacts the p-doped base at a face of the ignition stage emitters facing the n-doped emitter on the front face on a second contact surface, wherein the p-doped base comprises a portion having a first sub-portion, a second sub-portion and a third sub-portion, wherein - the first sub-portion and the third sub-portion have a net concentration of doping substance (p+) larger than the second sub-portion; - the second sub-portion is adjacent to the first sub-portion and the third sub-portion; and - a P-N junction is formed between one of the ignition stage emitters (51, 52, 53, 54) and the first sub-portion, wherein the net concentration of doping substance has at least two local maxima (E1, E2, E2) spaced apart from each other along an axis (a1, a2, a3, a4) perpendicular to the vertical direction (v), wherein in said local maxima the p-type conductor is present, at least one (E2, E2') of which is in the region of the first sub-portion and another one is in the region of the third sub-portion, and wherein a portion of the n-doped base is arranged along the axis (a3, a4) perpendicular to the vertical direction (v), between at least two local maxima (E1, E2) spaced apart from each other, and wherein the first contact surface exclusively contacts the ignition stage emitter, the second contact surface is both spaced apart from the first contact surface and one of the ignition stage emitters, such that one of the ignition stage emitters (51, 52, 53, 54) is embedded into the first sub-portion, and the second contact surface contacts the third sub-portion. - an ignition stage structure with at least one ignition stage (AG1, AG2, AG3, AG4), each of which comprises an n-doped ignition stage emitter (51, 52, 53, 54) spaced apart from the n-doped emitter, which is embedded in the p-doped base; - an electrode, which, on the front face, contacts one of the ignition stage emitters (51, 52, 53, 54) and, with said one shares a first contact surface, and which contacts the p-doped base at a face of the ignition stage emitters facing the n-doped emitter on the front face on a second contact surface, wherein the p-doped base comprises a portion having a first sub-portion, a second sub-portion and a third sub-portion, wherein - the first sub-portion and the third sub-portion have a net concentration of doping substance (p+) larger than the second sub-portion; - the second sub-portion is adjacent to the first sub-portion and the third sub-portion; and - a P-N junction is formed between one of the ignition stage emitters (51, 52, 53, 54) and the first sub-portion,