A circuit for the generation of ignition pulses for a lamp has: an ignition pulse transformer, a device for the generation of ignition pulses (ignition pulse generator) at a primary winding of the ignition pulse transformer, which are transformed in the secondary winding of the ignition pulse transformer, a voltage detector for the detection of the voltage value of the transformed ignition pulses, and a voltage regulator for regulating the voltage value of the transformed ignition pulses to a predetermined reference value. The ignition pulse generator has, in a series circuit, a pulse capacitor and a switch, parallel to the secondary winding of the ignition pulse transformer and the lamp, wherein the regulator for the voltage value of the transformed ignition pulses sets at the pulse capacitor the voltage applied at an ignition time point. The voltage at the pulse capacitor can be set by means of selection of the switch-on and/or switch-off time points of the switch.