The invention is based on the object of proposing an improved illumination apparatus for glare-free illumination of an area monitored by a night vision device.For this purpose, an illumination apparatus for glare-free illumination of an area monitored by a night vision device is proposed, the night vision device picking up light of wavelength greater than a limiting wavelength, having an illumination device which comprises at least one LED, the illumination device being designed to emit light with light fractions in the visible region, and having an optical filter device which is designed as an interference filter device, a transmission of the optical filter device being greater, in a visible wavelength region below the limiting wavelength, than 80%, preferably greater than 90% for the light of the illumination device in the visible wavelength region, and being less, in a red wavelength region above the limiting wavelength, than 1%, preferably less than 0.1% for the light of the illumination device in the red wavelength region.