The invention relates to a shifting lever device for actuating a vehicle gearbox, the shifting lever device having: a retainer (4); a shifting lever (2) movably mounted on the retainer (4) and movable into predetermined shifting lever positions (P, R, N, D) comprising a first shifting lever position (P); a locking element (7) movable into predetermined locking element positions comprising a first locking element position in which the shifting lever (2) can be locked to the retainer (4) in the first shifting lever position (P) by means of the locking element (7); a release device comprising a magnetic field-sensitive switch (11) and a magnet (12) as components, the distance of which from one another is variable by moving the locking element (7) in such a manner that, in the first shifting lever position (P) of the shifting lever (2), the switch (11) can be actuated by the magnetic field of the magnet (12) in the locking position of the locking element (7); and at least one shielding element (17) positionable at least manually or automatically between the magnet (11) and the switch (12) and movable out of this position, by means of which shielding element the switch (11) can be shielded from the magnetic field of the magnet (12) in at least one other shifting lever position (N) among the predetermined shifting lever positions (P, R, N, D) of the shifting lever (2).