NOVELTY - The method comprises supplying hydrogen-containing gases through an electrically conducting gas diffusion layer of the fuel cell to a catalyst layer of the fuel cell at anode side using gas channels present in a bipolar plate of the fuel cell, supplying a gas mixture containing oxygen and nitrogen through the gas diffusion layer to the catalyst layer at cathode side using gas channels present in the bipolar plate, generating protons in the catalyst layer at the anode side, and diffusing the generated protons through proton-conducting polymer electrolyte membrane or polymer electrolyte matrix.    USE - Method for operating a fuel cell, which is useful in a fuel cell system (claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The method is capable of continuously and economically operated with high performance, high service life, high efficiency and improved mechanical properties without power loss and gas fluctuations.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The method comprises supplying hydrogen-containing gases through an electrically conducting gas diffusion layer of the fuel cell to a catalyst layer of the fuel cell at an anode side using gas channels present in a bipolar plate of the fuel cell, supplying a gas mixture containing oxygen and nitrogen through the gas diffusion layer to the catalyst layer at a cathode side using gas channels present in the bipolar plate, generating protons in the catalyst layer at the anode side, diffusing the generated protons through a proton-conducting polymer electrolyte membrane or a polymer electrolyte matrix of the fuel cell, reacting the protons with the cathode-side supplied oxygen-containing gas, and tapping the resulting voltage potential over the anode-side and the cathode-side bipolar plate. The supplied hydrogen-containing gas is enriched with electrolytes responsible for the proton conduction. The proton-conducting polymer electrolyte membrane or polymer electrolyte matrix has the electrolytes, whose partial vapor pressure is below 0.200 bar. The catalyst layer is present on both sides of the proton-conducting polymer electrolyte membrane or the polymer electrolyte matrix. The electrically conducting gas diffusion layer is present on the both leeward sides of the catalyst layer. The bipolar plate is present on the both leeward sides of the gas diffusion layer. The proton-conducting polymer electrolyte membrane comprises materials, with which the polymer contains a covalently bonded acid or is doped with an acid, contains a basic polymer and an acid, and is a blend made of two different polymers. The fuel cell is operated at above 120 degrees C without additional humidification of the hydrogen-containing gas. The hydrogen-containing gas is pure hydrogen or a gas that contains 20 Vol.% of hydrogen. The electrolyte is added to the hydrogen-containing gas, so that 75% of the saturation vapor pressure of the electrolyte is reached under the operating conditions of the fuel cell. The supplied hydrogen-containing gas is completely saturated with the electrolytes under the operating conditions of the fuel cell. The addition of the electrolytes to the hydrogen-containing gas takes place by supplying the evaporated electrolytes or by passing the hydrogen-containing gas through the liquid electrolytes, and takes place in liquid or gaseous form using micro-dosing. The electrolyte is added from an external reservoir or storage container, which is integrated in the fuel cell or fuel cell stack. The collection of the discharged electrolyte takes place over cold traps and/or heat exchanger. The condensed electrolyte, before it is supplied to the hydrogen-containing gas at the anode side, is cleaned, concentrated and/or degassed. The gas mixture containing oxygen and nitrogen is added to the electrolyte, so that 75% of the saturation vapor pressure of the electrolyte is reached under the operating conditions of the fuel cell. The supplied gas mixture containing oxygen and nitrogen is completely saturated with the electrolytes under the operating conditions of the fuel cell. The addition of the electrolytes to the gas mixture containing oxygen and nitrogen takes place in the same type and manner at the anode side. The gas mixture containing oxygen and nitrogen supplied at the cathode side and the hydrogen-containing gas supplied at the anode side are provided with the electrolyte responsible for the proton conduction. The mass balance of the volatile electrolyte is detected and the mass of the electrolyte is supplied at the anode side, where the mass of the electrolyte is discharged by the exhaust gas at the cathode side. The hydrogen-containing gas is reformate, which is produced from hydrocarbons in an upstream reforming step. The supply of the hydrogen-containing gas takes place without pressure and the flow rates are present maximum in range of twice-stoichiometric excess. The supply of the gas mixture takes place at the cathode side without pressure and the flow rates are present maximum in range of five times stoichiometric excess. An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for an electrochemical cell such as fuel cell-single cell.