Around 22,600 former employees of the insolvent drugstore chain Schlecker are to receive money.

Insolvency administrator Arndt Geiwitz is currently preparing advance payments of around 21.3 million euros, his spokesman said on Tuesday.

Part of it also goes to health insurance companies, social security funds and the Federal Employment Agency.

Several media had previously reported on the announcement.

The money should therefore end up in the account of the former employees in July.

Among other things, it is about claims by former employees from wages, Christmas and holiday bonuses.

The amount corresponds to a little more than 15 percent of the claims.

In the past few days, the insolvency administrator has informed the former employees how much money the affected persons will receive.

The majority of them will receive "a low to mid three-digit sum," the spokesman said.

The remaining claims of the ex-employees remained.

However, one can only say at the end of the insolvency proceedings whether and to what extent these will be settled.

It can currently be assumed that the process will be completed “in two to three years”.

Schlecker, once the largest drugstore chain in Europe based in Ehingen in Baden-Württemberg, filed for bankruptcy in January 2012.

A rescue failed.

Thousands of employees - mostly women - lost their jobs.