Starter relay for a starting device

The electromagnetic starter relay (6) has a reciprocating armature (8) and a pull-in winding (7), to which a current is applied. A switch-on device (16) switches on an electric starter motor. The current is applied to an additional winding that acts on an axially adjustable switching armature (23) of the switch-on device as a switching winding (15). The reciprocating armature is acted on by a reciprocating armature return spring (20) that is supported against the switching armature. A separating web (22) is produced from a magnetically permeable material. An independent claim is included for a method for operating a starting apparatus for an internal combustion engine.