A control circuit for switching on a power semiconductor switch, comprising: an input that is designed to receive a signal that characterizes the switch-on behavior of the power semiconductor switch; a phase detection circuit that is designed to detect two or more phases in the course of the switch-on operation of the power semiconductor switch, based on the signal that characterizes a switch-on behavior of the power semiconductor switch, and to generate a phase detection signal that indicates which of the two or more phases the power semiconductor switch is passing through at the moment; and a variable current source that is designed to supply a current having variable current intensity to a control input of the power semiconductor switch in response to the phase detection signal, in order to switch on the power semiconductor switch, wherein the control circuit is designed to control the variable current source in a closed control loop as a response to the signal that characterizes the switch-on behavior of the power semiconductor switch, and wherein the control circuit is designed to change the variable current source within one of the phases that has been indicated by the phase detection signal, so that the variable current source provides the current to the control input at various levels having predetermined lengths. wherein the signal that characterizes a switch-on behavior of the power semiconductor switch a) is a control input voltage that is present at the control input of the power semiconductor switch, b) is the collector emitter voltage of the power semiconductor switch, or c) is the collector emitter current of the power semiconductor switch. an input that is designed to receive a signal that characterizes the switch-on behavior of the power semiconductor switch; a phase detection circuit that is designed to detect two or more phases in the course of the switch-on operation of the power semiconductor switch, based on the signal that characterizes a switch-on behavior of the power semiconductor switch, and to generate a phase detection signal that indicates which of the two or more phases the power semiconductor switch is passing through at the moment; and a variable current source that is designed to supply a current having variable current intensity to a control input of the power semiconductor switch in response to the phase detection signal, in order to switch on the power semiconductor switch, wherein the control circuit is designed to control the variable current source in a closed control loop as a response to the signal that characterizes the switch-on behavior of the power semiconductor switch, and wherein the control circuit is designed to change the variable current source within one of the phases that has been indicated by the phase detection signal, so that the variable current source provides the current to the control input at various levels having predetermined lengths. wherein the signal that characterizes a switch-on behavior of the power semiconductor switch a) is a control input voltage that is present at the control input of the power semiconductor switch, b) is the collector emitter voltage of the power semiconductor switch, or c) is the collector emitter current of the power semiconductor switch. a) is a control input voltage that is present at the control input of the power semiconductor switch, b) is the collector emitter voltage of the power semiconductor switch, or c) is the collector emitter current of the power semiconductor switch.