A switch module comprising: a first connection, a second connection, and at least one control connection; a plurality of parallel connected switching elements (17a, 17b,..., 17m) each having a first electrode electrically connected to the first connection, a second electrode electrically connected to the second connection, and a control electrode electrically connected to the at least one control connection; and a fault protection device operatively electrically connected between the at least one control connection and the switching elements (17a, 17b,..., 17m), wherein the fault protection device comprises passive electrical components (36a, 36b,..., 36m, 38a, 38b,...., 38n; 39a, 39b,...39m; 41a, 41b,..., 41m; 42a, 42b,..., 42m; 43a, 43b,..., 43m) which are selected such that in the event of a short circuit fault in at least one of the plurality of switching elements (17a, 17b,..., 17m), a control voltage is provided to the control electrodes of non-faulty switching elements in a passive manner, which control voltage is sufficient to switch at least some of the non-faulty switching elements to a conducting state or to maintain them in a conducting state; wherein the fault protection device comprises a resistance matrix that provides the control voltage to the control electrodes of the non-faulty switching elements (17a, 17b,..., 17m), the resistance matrix comprising a plurality of first resistances (36a, 36b,..., 36m), each first resistance being electrically connected to the control electrode of a respective switching element (17a, 17b,..., 17m); and wherein the control voltage is greater than the turn-on threshold voltage of the switching elements (17a, 17b,...., 17m) and is provided in response to a defined turn-on voltage which is applied to the at least one control connection, e.g., by a drive unit; characterised in that the resistance matrix further comprises a plurality of second resistances (38a, 38b,..., 38n), each second resistance being electrically connected between the control connection and one or more of the first resistances (36a, 36b,..., 36m), wherein the switching elements (17a, 17b,..., 17m) electrically connected to a respective second resistance (38a, 38b,..., 38n) define a group of switching elements (17a, 17b,..., 17m). a first connection, a second connection, and at least one control connection; a plurality of parallel connected switching elements (17a, 17b,..., 17m) each having a first electrode electrically connected to the first connection, a second electrode electrically connected to the second connection, and a control electrode electrically connected to the at least one control connection; and a fault protection device operatively electrically connected between the at least one control connection and the switching elements (17a, 17b,..., 17m), wherein the fault protection device comprises passive electrical components (36a, 36b,..., 36m, 38a, 38b,...., 38n; 39a, 39b,...39m; 41a, 41b,..., 41m; 42a, 42b,..., 42m; 43a, 43b,..., 43m) which are selected such that in the event of a short circuit fault in at least one of the plurality of switching elements (17a, 17b,..., 17m), a control voltage is provided to the control electrodes of non-faulty switching elements in a passive manner, which control voltage is sufficient to switch at least some of the non-faulty switching elements to a conducting state or to maintain them in a conducting state; wherein the fault protection device comprises a resistance matrix that provides the control voltage to the control electrodes of the non-faulty switching elements (17a, 17b,..., 17m), the resistance matrix comprising a plurality of first resistances (36a, 36b,..., 36m), each first resistance being electrically connected to the control electrode of a respective switching element (17a, 17b,..., 17m); and wherein the control voltage is greater than the turn-on threshold voltage of the switching elements (17a, 17b,...., 17m) and is provided in response to a defined turn-on voltage which is applied to the at least one control connection, e.g., by a drive unit; characterised in that the resistance matrix further comprises a plurality of second resistances (38a, 38b,..., 38n), each second resistance being electrically connected between the control connection and one or more of the first resistances (36a, 36b,..., 36m), wherein the switching elements (17a, 17b,..., 17m) electrically connected to a respective second resistance (38a, 38b,..., 38n) define a group of switching elements (17a, 17b,..., 17m).