A short arc high-pressure discharge lamp (1) for dc operation, includes a discharge vessel (2) that has two necks (4) diametrically opposite each other, in which an anode (26) and a cathode (7) made of tungsten are melted in a gastight manner, and which has a filling made of at least one noble gas and possibly mercury. According to the invention, at least the material of the cathode tip (11) contains lanthanum oxide La.sub.2O.sub.3 and at least another oxide from the group consisting of hafnium oxide HfO.sub.2 and zirconium oxide ZrO.sub.2 in addition to the abovementioned tungsten.