NOVELTY - The device comprises a melting furnace (11) having a heating chamber (12), in which a supporting surface (13) for a crucible (8) and a gas purging device arranged above the supporting surface are defined. The crucible has a sidewall and a base, and the gas purging device has a gas outlet facing the supporting surface. The gas outlet is defined by openings in lower plunger surfaces of plunger-shaped bodies (2), which have geometry adapted to an inner shape of the crucible and are arranged next to each other. The geometry allows partial insertion of the plunger-shaped bodies into the crucible.    USE - Device for producing multicrystalline silicon bodies such as semiconductor or optical crystals by directional solidification for manufacturing solar cells.    ADVANTAGE - The device efficiently allows carbon- and oxygen-containing materials to be discharged from the melt in a controlled manner, enables a specific adjustment of the carbon and oxygen content of the crystalline bodies within certain limits, and is capable of effectively producing the crystalline bodies with high quality, high mechanical stability and large lateral dimensions.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The device comprises a melting furnace (11) having a heating chamber (12), in which a supporting surface (13) for a crucible (8) and a gas purging device arranged above the supporting surface are defined. The crucible has a sidewall and a base, and the gas purging device has a gas outlet facing the supporting surface. The gas outlet is defined by openings in lower plunger surfaces of plunger-shaped bodies (2), which have a geometry adapted to an inner shape of the crucible and are arranged next to each other. The geometry allows partial insertion of the plunger-shaped bodies into the crucible with a lateral distance same on each side to the sidewall of the crucible. The gas purging device and/or the supporting surface are adjustably arranged or mounted in an axial direction to change a perpendicular distance between the supporting surface and the plunger-shaped body. The plunger-shaped body has a rotating lateral projection in a distance from the lower plunger surface. The lateral projection allows a covering of upper edges of the crucible. The lower plunger surface is evenly formed and is arranged parallel to the supporting surface. The geometry of the bodies is selected, so that the lateral distance of the sidewall of the crucible is less than or equal to 1 cm. The gas purging device consists of carbon-free material. An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for a method for producing crystalline bodies by directional solidification.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The diagram shows a schematic representation of an arrangement of a device.    Plunger-shaped bodies (2)    Crucible (8)    Melting furnace (11)    Heating chamber (12)    Supporting surface. (13)