Belt retractor with switchable force limiter

A belt retractor comprising:

• a force limiting device in the form of at least one energy absorbing element which is connected to a spool for a belt and is also connected via a profiled head with a blocking apparatus of said retractor;
• a switching device for adjusting energy absorption, wherein said switching device is switchable at any point in time via a drive mechanism that is independent of at least one of said spool and said switching device, wherein said switching device is provided with a least one pawl that is mounted so as to have a self-opening tendency;
• a spool ring for holding said at least one pawl in a coupling position, wherein said spool ring is displaceable in a direction of an axis of said spool;
• and
• a pyrotechnically drivable adjusting means for axially transferring said spool ring into a position in which said spool ring enables a changeover of said at least one pawl from the coupling position thereof into a release position thereof.