Flat illuminating device

A flat lighting device (10, 10′) that has light-emitting lighting elements (1) arranged on a carrier, which are connected to current supply and current discharge lines (4′) to supply current. The carrier has the form of a metallic sheet (2), which is covered with an insulating layer (3), on which series connections of a lighting element (3) and a surface resistor (5) are arranged between the current supply and current discharge lines (4′). One lighting element (1) and one surface series resistor (5) of a series connection and the series connections and the current supply and current discharge lines (4′) are connected to one another by conductor paths. There is also a method for producing lighting devices of this type.