An improved high-voltage circuit-interrupter is provided having series main contacts and resistance contacts with a closing resistance shunting the resistance contacts, so that the closing resistance is inserted into the circuit during the closing operation of the high-voltage circuit-interrupter, but is out of the circuit during the opening operation. An improved latching mechanism is provided for ensuring that the resistance contacts remain closed, during the beginning of the opening operation of the breaker, so that the closing resistance is shorted out, and the task of extinguishing the established arc, or arcs is imposed only upon the main contacts and not at the resistance contacts.During the closing operation, the construction is such that the main driving frame, carrying the movable main contact or contacts, charges a biasing means, but latches, which are provided, ensure that the main contacts are closed prior to the closing of the serially-related resistance contacts, thereby inserting the closing resistance into the circuit momentarily during the closing operation of the high-voltage circuit-interrupter.Another very important feature of the invention is the provision of an encircling closing resistance encompassing, or surrounding the separable closing contacts as a space-saving and cost-reduction constructional arrangement. Moreover, an additional feature of the invention is the provision of a probe contact, when desired, to short out the closing resistance in two steps, rather than shorting it out in one step. Thus, the individual resistance steps may be individually calculated for the optimum closing resistance value.