The multiple ionisation of atomic Mn, excited at (photon energy: 52.1 eV) and above (photon energy: 61.1 eV) the discrete giant IMG [http://ej.iop.org/images/1367-2630/19/4/043002/njpaa660aieqn1.gif] $3p--3d$ resonance, was studied using high irradiation free-electron-laser soft x-ray pulses from the BL2 beamline of FLASH, DESY, Hamburg. In particular, the impact of the giant resonance on the ionisation mechanism was investigated. Ion mass-over-charge spectra were obtained by means of ion time-of-flight spectrometry. For the two photon energies, the yield of the different ionic charge states Mn IMG [http://ej.iop.org/images/1367-2630/19/4/043002/njpaa660aieqn2.gif] $^q+$ ( q = 0--7) was determined as a function of the irradiance of the soft x-ray pulses. The maximum charge state observed was Mn 6+ for resonant excitation at 52.1 eV and Mn 7+ for non-resonant excitation at 61.1 eV at a maximum irradiation of IMG [http://ej.iop.org/images/1367-2630/19/4/043002/njpaa660aieqn3.gif] $3times 10^13 Wcm^-2$ .