Neighborhood Spirit Persists in Marzahn
The Persistent Schlecker: A Ghost from the Past in Berlin-Marzahn
Bye-bye Schlecker, not so fast! While the remainder of Europe said their goodbyes when Europe's largest drugstore chain went bankrupt in 2012, one old store still stands tall in Berlin-Marzahn. The aging building on Hohensaatener Straße bears the fading lettering of the former Schlecker branch.
Inside, the store remains quiet, abandoned, and forgotten. Posters and stickers decorate the dusty windows.
Launched by Anton Schlecker in Ehingen, Baden-Württemberg, in 1975, Schlecker was once a corporate giant worth billions. But the glorious days were short-lived. The drugstore chain imploded in 2012, leaving thousands of employees, particularly the infamous Schlecker women, picking up the pieces.
Schlecker Family and the Law
The family continues to grapple with the aftermath of their empire's collapse. The Higher Regional Court of Dresden has reached a verdict: 800,000 euros - a hefty price for the Schleckers to pay to settle a years-long legal dispute.
This, despite the fact that the stakes were much higher. Initially, the insolvency administrator of Meniar, a temporary employment agency, demanded 1.35 million euros in damages.
Rumor has it that through this agency, the already insolvent Schlecker group received over a million euros as a "loan." The court accused the Schlecker family of siphoning these funds, reportedly shifting them past creditors.
The family, led by Christa Schlecker (77), Anton's wife, and their children Lars and Meike, initially faced charges of paying 1.35 million euros plus interest. However, they appealed, claiming the loan was a personal agreement and part of it had already been repaid.
Judge's decision: some penal, but a settlement is in order. The final bill stood at 800,000 euros instead of 1.35 million.
Despite its fallen fate, one Schlecker store still stands tall in Berlin-Marzahn, serving as a grim reminder of the once-great drugstore empire. Across the continent, Schlecker's stores were bought by other companies, with DIA, a Spanish multinational supermarket chain, acquiring 1,127 Schlecker stores in Spain for 70.5 million euros in January 2013[4]. The Schlecker family, who previously controlled the company, now contend with legal and financial consequences due to questionable practices during the company's decline, resulting in a substantial settlement payment to address these issues[1][4].
The Schlecker family, now grappling with the fallout of their empire's collapse, were ordered to pay a hefty 800,000 euro settlement by the Higher Regional Court of Dresden, following a years-long legal battle. In the past, Schlecker was a formidable player in the industry, finance, and business sectors, reaching billions in worth before its downfall. Today, a solitary Schlecker store remains in Berlin-Marzahn, a silent testament to the once-great drugstore empire.
