The invention relates to an electrode (1) for predominantly electrostatic applications such as, for example, gas purification plants, air filters, bioelectrics, electric air-conditioning, equipment for discharging electrostatically charged materials and the like. Said areal electrode (1) has a multiplicity of charge release devices (2). These are connected to the power supply via a high-resistance resistor. The electrode is fashioned as a sandwich element (4). An electrically conductive foil (5), which forms a middle layer, is connected, at its surfaces (6, 7) facing away from each other, to an electrically insulating foil which forms a covering layer (8). The sandwich element (4) has cutouts (3, 11) whose leading edges (9) form the charge release devices (2). The latter are directly connected to the area (10) of the cutout (3, 11) enclosed by them.
