Operating apparatus for operating at least one electrical appliance in a motor vehicle, comprising an operating element and comprising a circuit board with a first side, on which a switching element is arranged, wherein the switching element is switchable when the operating element is actuated, wherein the circuit board is arranged between the operating element and the switching element such that the first side of the circuit board faces away from the operating element and a second side, lying opposite the first side, faces the operating element, and the operating apparatus has a separate rocker element which, depending on actuation of the operating element, is embodied to actuate the switching element by a rocker movement initiated by said actuation of the operating element, wherein the rocker element has at least one first rocker part and one second rocker part connected thereto in hinged fashion and a first connecting element of the operating apparatus contacts the first rocker part and a second connecting element of the operating apparatus contacts the second rocker part, characterized in that for the purposes of switching the switching element, the rocker element is couplable to the switching element by means of a rocker joint, at which the first rocker part is connected to the second rocker part in hinged fashion, depending on a folding movement of the rocker parts (22, 23), Wherein the operating element comprises at least one pictogram, wherein the pictogram describes a function of the operable electrical appliance, wherein the pictogram has an at least partly transparent embodiment and a lighting element is arranged on the second side of the circuit board such that the at least partly transparent pictogram is illuminable. wherein the circuit board is arranged between the operating element and the switching element such that the first side of the circuit board faces away from the operating element and a second side, lying opposite the first side, faces the operating element, and the operating apparatus has a separate rocker element which, depending on actuation of the operating element, is embodied to actuate the switching element by a rocker movement initiated by said actuation of the operating element, wherein the rocker element has at least one first rocker part and one second rocker part connected thereto in hinged fashion and a first connecting element of the operating apparatus contacts the first rocker part and a second connecting element of the operating apparatus contacts the second rocker part, characterized in that for the purposes of switching the switching element, the rocker element is couplable to the switching element by means of a rocker joint, at which the first rocker part is connected to the second rocker part in hinged fashion, depending on a folding movement of the rocker parts (22, 23), Wherein the operating element comprises at least one pictogram, wherein the pictogram describes a function of the operable electrical appliance, wherein the pictogram has an at least partly transparent embodiment and a lighting element is arranged on the second side of the circuit board such that the at least partly transparent pictogram is illuminable.