A bidirectional thyristor device comprising: - a semiconductor body extending between a first main surface and a second main surface, - a first main electrode arranged on the first main surface, - a second main electrode arranged on the second main surface, - a first gate electrode arranged on the first main surface, - a second gate electrode arranged on the second main surface, wherein the semiconductor body comprises - a first base layer of a first conductivity type, - second base layer of the first conductivity type, - a third base layer of a second conductivity type different than the first conductivity type arranged between the first base layer and the second base layer, - the bidirectional thyristor device is symmetrical with respect to a plane extending through the third base layer, characterized in that - the first main electrode comprises a plurality of first segments that are spaced apart from one another, wherein at least some of the first segments are completely surrounded by the first gate electrode in a view onto the first main surface, - each of the first segments adjoins at least one first emitter region of the second conductivity type and at least one first emitter short region of the first conductivity type; - one of the plurality of first segments is configured such that it can act as a cathode for a first thyristor functional element via the at least one first emitter region or as an anode for a second thyristor functional element via at least one first emitter short region, - the second main electrode comprises a plurality of second segments that are spaced apart from one another, wherein at least some of the second segments are completely surrounded by the second gate electrode in a view onto the second main surface, - each of the second segments of the second main electrode adjoins at least one second emitter region of the second conductivity type and at least one second emitter short region of the first conductivity type, and - one of the plurality of second segments is configured such that it can act as a cathode for the second thyristor functional element via at least one second emitter region or as an anode for the first thyristor functional element via at least one second emitter short region. - a semiconductor body extending between a first main surface and a second main surface, - a first main electrode arranged on the first main surface, - a second main electrode arranged on the second main surface, - a first gate electrode arranged on the first main surface, - a second gate electrode arranged on the second main surface, wherein the semiconductor body comprises - a first base layer of a first conductivity type, - second base layer of the first conductivity type, - a third base layer of a second conductivity type different than the first conductivity type arranged between the first base layer and the second base layer, - the bidirectional thyristor device is symmetrical with respect to a plane extending through the third base layer, characterized in that - the first main electrode comprises a plurality of first segments that are spaced apart from one another, wherein at least some of the first segments are completely surrounded by the first gate electrode in a view onto the first main surface, - each of the first segments adjoins at least one first emitter region of the second conductivity type and at least one first emitter short region of the first conductivity type; - one of the plurality of first segments is configured such that it can act as a cathode for a first thyristor functional element via the at least one first emitter region or as an anode for a second thyristor functional element via at least one first emitter short region, - the second main electrode comprises a plurality of second segments that are spaced apart from one another, wherein at least some of the second segments are completely surrounded by the second gate electrode in a view onto the second main surface, - each of the second segments of the second main electrode adjoins at least one second emitter region of the second conductivity type and at least one second emitter short region of the first conductivity type, and - one of the plurality of second segments is configured such that it can act as a cathode for the second thyristor functional element via at least one second emitter region or as an anode for the first thyristor functional element via at least one second emitter short region.