An ignition system having a low voltage source serving as a starting point for producing of an ignition voltage at least one ignition spark gap via at least one ignition branch, said branch including a said ignition spark gap, a high voltage capacitor, a high voltage transformer for producing a voltage at the high voltage capacitor of at least the same order of magnitude as said ignition voltage, an auxiliary spark gap having a breakdown threshold, and timing control means for controlling voltage delivery timing to said branch; wherein said auxiliary spark gap is disposed at an output side of said high voltage transformer and said high voltage capacitor is coupled to said auxiliary spark gap in a manner causing the high voltage capacitor to discharge to said ignition spark gap when the breakdown threshold of the auxiliary spark gap is exceeded; wherein the high voltage transformer has minimum inductances and minimum impedances; wherein a medium voltage transformer for producing a voltage between the low voltage and the ignition voltage and a medium voltage storage capacitor that is chargeable by said medium voltage transformer are provided between the low voltage source and the high voltage transformer; and wherein a controllable element is provided in said branch at an input side of said high voltage transformer, said controllable element being controlled by the timing control means in a manner operable for separating and interconnecting said high voltage transformer and said medium voltage storage capacitor.