Inheritance Dispute at Drugstore Empire: Müller Family in Court

A bitter inheritance dispute is shaking the heart of one of Germany's most renowned trading dynasties. At the center of the legal controversy are the founder of the namesake drugstore chain, Erwin Müller, his wife Anita, and their three adult adopted children. The children are demanding their compulsory share of the family inheritance and have sued their stepfather and his wife for it. The core of the dispute is based on a contract in which the adopted children renounced their compulsory share. The lawyers for the adopted children, led by Maximilian Ott, have condemned the contract as unlawful. "The contract renouncing the compulsory share is under scrutiny, as we consider it to be immoral and void of form," emphasizes attorney Ott. The children themselves are keeping a low profile in the public debate and are refraining from commenting. On the other hand, the representative for the Müller couple, Anton Steiner, is asking for discretion and points out that it is customary not to comment on ongoing proceedings. The businessman Erwin Müller, who began his professional career as a hairdresser, revolutionized German retail by opening his first hairdressing salon in an apartment in 1953 and then took an unexpected turn when he began offering cosmetics and drugstore items there as well. Inspired by the business models of Canadian and American drugstores and self-service department stores, Erwin Müller opened his first pure drugstore market in Ulm in 1973, which was the precursor for today's trading empire. With around 35,000 employees and over 900 branches throughout Europe, the drugstore chain has not only established itself as a main player in German retail but also as a significant employer and important part of the European retail landscape.