Disclosed is an electrical
resistor (1), in particular an electrical braking
resistor, comprising: - a first
electrical connection (3); - a second
electrical connection (4); - a plurality of partial resistors (2) connected in parallel, each partial
resistor (2.1, 2.2, ..., 2.n) being designed for a maximum power that can be supplied individually to the partial resistor (2.1, 2.2, ..., 2.n); - a switching device (5) which is designed to connect individual partial resistors (2.1, 2.2, ...2.n) of the at least two partial resistors (2) to the first
electrical connection (3) and the second electrical connection (4), wherein the resistor (1) is designed to distribute an electrical power, which is supplied to the resistor (1) via the terminals (3, 4), by means of the switching device (5) as partial power to individual partial resistors (2.1, 2.2, ...2.n) of the plurality of partial resistors (2), that the partial power supplied to at least one partial resistor (2.1, 2.2, ...2.n) of the plurality of partial resistors (2) corresponds at least to the maximum power that can be supplied to this partial resistor (2.1, 2.2, ...2.n) or that the partial power which is supplied to the at least one partial resistor (2.1, 2.2, ...2.n) of the plurality of partial resistors (2) is supplied by means of an electrical connection, which is permanently established by the switching device (5), between the first electrical connection (3), the at least one partial resistor (2.1, 2.2, ...2.n) and the second electrical connection (4).