combined that the inevitable sputtering of the area electrode during the ion bombardment will not cause impairment of the treated product moreover a polymer may be chosen as the electrode material which is intensively degraded by the effect of the ion bombardment and which splits off monomeric fragments which accumulate in the gas atmosphere the monomer may be grafted onto the surface of the treated product the surface of which has been activated by irradiation with secondary electrons this makes it possible to carry out simultaneously monomer production activation of the polymeric surface and grafting of monomer by using the low pressure gas discharge with dc or high frequency power supply to modify the surface of the polymeric textile products in the manner according to the invention the following advantages result the substantially known modification of polymeric surfaces through the inaction with ionized gases is considerably intensified due to the utilization of secondary electrons in the kiloelectron volt range which occur particularly markedly in special electrode configuration in accordance with the invention consequently treatment and activation periods of less than 15 seconds can be achieved for the subsequent finishing reactions so that for obtaining certain already known modification effects ionized gas treatment first becomes economically feasible and the requirements of electron accelerators may be obviated moreover the opportunity is afforded to carry out simultaneously monomer formation surface activation and grafting of monomer the invention will now be described with reference to the following specific examples which are not to be construed as limiting the invention thereto a textile surface formation comprising a knitted product of polyethyleneterephthalate fiber material was treated in accordance with the invention.