Switching unit for an electrical switching device, in particular a circuit breaker, comprising - a switching mechanism for connecting and separating at least one moving contact from at least one fixed contact of the electrical switching device, which comprises a tensioning lever which is rotatably mounted about a stationary tensioning lever axis, at least one rocker moveably mounted on the tensioning lever and a hinge mechanism for moving the moving contact, wherein the tensioning lever is actively connected hereto in order to move the moving contact by way of the hinge mechanism, - a pawl for latching and unlatching the tensioning lever, - a switching lever which can be pivoted about a stationary bearing axis for manually connecting and separating the moving contact via the switching mechanism, wherein the switching lever can be manually pivoted between an OFF position and an ON position and can be manually or automatically pivoted between a TRIP position and RESET position, - a tensioning roller, which can be driven by way of the switching lever such that, when the switching lever is moved, the tensioning roller is actively connected to the tensioning lever, in order to pivot the tensioning lever, by rolling along a tensioning contour of the tensioning lever, - a tripping mechanism which is rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation, which is actively connected in a detachable manner to a pawl contact surface via at least one tripping contact surface of the tripping mechanism of the pawl in the TRIP position of the switching unit, - a pawl spring, which is arranged between the pawl and the tripping mechanism and which tensions the pawl and the tripping mechanism at least in the TRIP position, characterised in that, the pawl and the pawl spring are embodied such that, when the switching lever is moved from the ON position into the TRIP position and/or from the TRIP position into the RESET position, the pawl spring is bent by contact with a lateral face of the pawl. - a switching mechanism for connecting and separating at least one moving contact from at least one fixed contact of the electrical switching device, which comprises a tensioning lever which is rotatably mounted about a stationary tensioning lever axis, at least one rocker moveably mounted on the tensioning lever and a hinge mechanism for moving the moving contact, wherein the tensioning lever is actively connected hereto in order to move the moving contact by way of the hinge mechanism, - a pawl for latching and unlatching the tensioning lever, - a switching lever which can be pivoted about a stationary bearing axis for manually connecting and separating the moving contact via the switching mechanism, wherein the switching lever can be manually pivoted between an OFF position and an ON position and can be manually or automatically pivoted between a TRIP position and RESET position, - a tensioning roller, which can be driven by way of the switching lever such that, when the switching lever is moved, the tensioning roller is actively connected to the tensioning lever, in order to pivot the tensioning lever, by rolling along a tensioning contour of the tensioning lever, - a tripping mechanism which is rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation, which is actively connected in a detachable manner to a pawl contact surface via at least one tripping contact surface of the tripping mechanism of the pawl in the TRIP position of the switching unit, - a pawl spring, which is arranged between the pawl and the tripping mechanism and which tensions the pawl and the tripping mechanism at least in the TRIP position, characterised in that, the pawl and the pawl spring are embodied such that, when the switching lever is moved from the ON position into the TRIP position and/or from the TRIP position into the RESET position, the pawl spring is bent by contact with a lateral face of the pawl.