Method and Apparatus for Processing Value Documents

The present invention relates to the automatic removal of value document stacks from a container with the aid of a gripper. For separating different value document stacks, the container is subdivided into several storage regions by separator elements. Since the separator element positions of different value document containers may be different, for the container to be respectively processed it is ascertained at which positions along the container the separator elements are arranged. Ascertaining the separator element positions is effected independently of the gripper at a time before the gripper is moved toward the container. The ascertained information items about the separator element positions belonging to the container are then transferred to a gripper control device of the gripper, which is configured for controlling the motion of the gripper in order to remove value documents from the container.