Antistatic device for reducing electrostatic charges on moving material webs, comprising - an active positive electrode assembly which comprises a plurality of active needle-shaped individual positive electrodes and which is electrically connected to a positive high-voltage source during operation of the antistatic device, - an active negative electrode assembly which comprises a plurality of active needle-shaped individual negative electrodes and which is electrically connected to a negative high-voltage source during operation of the antistatic device, - a sensor system for detecting the polarity of a neutralization current between the material web and the antistatic device during operation of the antistatic device, - a control unit for controlling the high-voltage sources (12, 15), - wherein the control unit is coupled to the sensor system and is programmed and/or configured such that, depending on the detected polarity of the neutralization current, it activates the particular high-voltage source (12, 15) required, or causes it to be activated, and it deactivates the particular high-voltage source (12, 15) which is not required, or causes it to be deactivated, characterized in that - the control unit controls the particular high-voltage source (12, 15) that has been activated such that it supplies an unpulsed positive or negative DC voltage, - the control unit is configured and/or programmed so as to determine the polarity of the neutralization current during a learning phase and, depending on the polarity determined, to switch to a working phase and during said working phase to control the high-voltage source (12, 15) of the active electrode assembly (7, 8) required, in order to generate an unpulsed DC voltage, - during the learning phase, it controls both high-voltage sources (12, 15) in order to generate a pulsed DC voltage at the particular electrode assembly (7, 8) that is active, and during the working phase it deactivates the high-voltage source (12, 15) of the active electrode assembly (7, 8) that is not required, and switches the required active electrode assembly (7, 8) from pulsed DC voltage to unpulsed DC voltage, or, during the learning phase, it keeps both high-voltage sources (12, 15) deactivated, and during the working phase it activates only the high-voltage source (12, 15) of the required electrode assembly (7, 8). - an active positive electrode assembly which comprises a plurality of active needle-shaped individual positive electrodes and which is electrically connected to a positive high-voltage source during operation of the antistatic device, - an active negative electrode assembly which comprises a plurality of active needle-shaped individual negative electrodes and which is electrically connected to a negative high-voltage source during operation of the antistatic device, - a sensor system for detecting the polarity of a neutralization current between the material web and the antistatic device during operation of the antistatic device, - a control unit for controlling the high-voltage sources (12, 15), - wherein the control unit is coupled to the sensor system and is programmed and/or configured such that, depending on the detected polarity of the neutralization current, it activates the particular high-voltage source (12, 15) required, or causes it to be activated, and it deactivates the particular high-voltage source (12, 15) which is not required, or causes it to be deactivated, characterized in that - the control unit controls the particular high-voltage source (12, 15) that has been activated such that it supplies an unpulsed positive or negative DC voltage, - the control unit is configured and/or programmed so as to determine the polarity of the neutralization current during a learning phase and, depending on the polarity determined, to switch to a working phase and during said working phase to control the high-voltage source (12, 15) of the active electrode assembly (7, 8) required, in order to generate an unpulsed DC voltage, - during the learning phase, it controls both high-voltage sources (12, 15) in order to generate a pulsed DC voltage at the particular electrode assembly (7, 8) that is active, and during the working phase it deactivates the high-voltage source (12, 15) of the active electrode assembly (7, 8) that is not required, and switches the required active electrode assembly (7, 8) from pulsed DC voltage to unpulsed DC voltage, or, during the learning phase, it keeps both high-voltage sources (12, 15) deactivated, and during the working phase it activates only the high-voltage source (12, 15) of the required electrode assembly (7, 8).