Submodule for constructing a converter with a first subunit that comprises - a first energy store, - a first series circuit connected in parallel with the first energy store, said series circuit having two power semiconductor switching units (22, 23), each of which comprises a power semiconductor (221, 231) that can be switched on and off and has the same forward conduction directions, and each of which is capable of conducting in a direction opposite to said forward conduction direction, and - a first connecting terminal which is connected to the potential node between the power semiconductor switching units (22, 23) of the first series circuit, and a second subunit that comprises - a second energy store, - a second series circuit connected in parallel with the second energy store, said series circuit having two power semiconductor switching units (32, 33), each of which comprises a power semiconductor (321, 331) that can be switched on and off and has the same forward conduction directions, and each of which is capable of conducting in a direction opposite to said forward conduction direction, and - a second connecting terminal which is connected to the potential node between the power semiconductor switching units (32, 33) of the second series circuit, wherein the first subunit and the second subunit are connected to one another via connecting means, wherein the connecting means comprise an emitter connecting branch that connects an emitter of a first power semiconductor switching unit of the first series circuit to an emitter of a first power semiconductor switching unit of the second series circuit, and the connecting means comprise a collector connecting branch that connects a collector of the second power semiconductor switching unit of the first series circuit to a collector of the second power semiconductor switching unit of the second series circuit, and the connecting means comprise a switching branch in which a switching unit is arranged and which connects the emitter connecting branch to the collector connecting branch, characterized in that at least one power semiconductor switching unit (45, 46) is arranged in the emitter connecting branch or the collector connecting branch, which power semiconductor switching unit comprises a power semiconductor that can be switched on and off. - a first energy store, - a first series circuit connected in parallel with the first energy store, said series circuit having two power semiconductor switching units (22, 23), each of which comprises a power semiconductor (221, 231) that can be switched on and off and has the same forward conduction directions, and each of which is capable of conducting in a direction opposite to said forward conduction direction, and - a first connecting terminal which is connected to the potential node between the power semiconductor switching units (22, 23) of the first series circuit, and - a second energy store, - a second series circuit connected in parallel with the second energy store, said series circuit having two power semiconductor switching units (32, 33), each of which comprises a power semiconductor (321, 331) that can be switched on and off and has the same forward conduction directions, and each of which is capable of conducting in a direction opposite to said forward conduction direction, and - a second connecting terminal which is connected to the potential node between the power semiconductor switching units (32, 33) of the second series circuit, wherein the first subunit and the second subunit are connected to one another via connecting means, wherein the connecting means comprise an emitter connecting branch that connects an emitter of a first power semiconductor switching unit of the first series circuit to an emitter of a first power semiconductor switching unit of the second series circuit, and the connecting means comprise a collector connecting branch that connects a collector of the second power semiconductor switching unit of the first series circuit to a collector of the second power semiconductor switching unit of the second series circuit, and the connecting means comprise a switching branch in which a switching unit is arranged and which connects the emitter connecting branch to the collector connecting branch,