Former Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, in addition to a pension of about 15,000 euros, will now earn a multi-million fortune thanks to her book of memoirs entitled Freedom, reports Bild.

The book is published simultaneously in 31 countries, including Russia and China. In Germany, it is sold for 42 euros per copy.

According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, Merkel and her office director Beate Baumann have received an advance of "double-digit millions" for their work on the book. Experts consider such a payment quite realistic, and note that Merkel's book is a world bestseller, and political parties and foundations usually buy such books in large quantities.

The advance payment for the German-language rights of this book is estimated at 1.5-1.8 million euros, which is considerably higher than the income received from the memoirs of Merkel's predecessor, Helmut Kohl.

But despite this high demand for her book, Merkel is losing out to international figures such as Barack and Michelle Obama, whose memoir contract was worth 60 million euros.

Merkel and Baumann have avoided the costs of a literary agent by making a direct deal with the publishing house Kiepenheuer & Witsch.

The former chancellor of Germany on Wednesday held an autograph session in Berlin, and then she will go on a tour around the country for a book launch, the first city of which will be Stralsund.