| € million | 
 | Note | 
 | Dec. 31, 2022 | 
 | Dec. 31, 2021 | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-current assets | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
| Goodwill | 
 | 
 | 18,415 | 
 | 17,004 | |
| Other intangible assets | 
 | 
 | 7,302 | 
 | 7,612 | |
| Property, plant and equipment | 
 | 
 | 8,203 | 
 | 7,217 | |
| Investments accounted for using the equity method | 
 | 
 | 
 | 3 | 
 | 3 | 
| Non-current receivables | 
 | 
 | 27 | 
 | 25 | |
| Other non-current financial assets | 
 | 
 | 957 | 
 | 911 | |
| Other non-current non-financial assets | 
 | 
 | 99 | 
 | 95 | |
| Non-current income tax receivables | 
 | 
 | 10 | 
 | 10 | |
| Deferred tax assets | 
 | 
 | 1,310 | 
 | 1,502 | |
| 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 36,325 | 
 | 34,380 | 
| Current assets | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
| Inventories | 
 | 
 | 4,632 | 
 | 3,900 | |
| Trade and other current receivables | 
 | 
 | 4,114 | 
 | 3,646 | |
| Contract assets | 
 | 
 | 128 | 
 | 207 | |
| Other current financial assets | 
 | 
 | 321 | 
 | 174 | |
| Other current non-financial assets | 
 | 
 | 705 | 
 | 663 | |
| Current income tax receivables | 
 | 
 | 446 | 
 | 492 | |
| Cash and cash equivalents | 
 | 
 | 1,854 | 
 | 1,899 | |
| 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 12,201 | 
 | 10,982 | 
| Total assets | 
 | 
 | 
 | 48,526 | 
 | 45,362 | 
| 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
| Total equity | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | |
| Equity capital | 
 | 
 | 
 | 565 | 
 | 565 | 
| Capital reserves | 
 | 
 | 
 | 3,814 | 
 | 3,814 | 
| Retained earnings | 
 | 
 | 
 | 18,463 | 
 | 15,134 | 
| Gains/losses recognized in equity | 
 | 
 | 
 | 3,086 | 
 | 1,824 | 
| Equity attributable to shareholders of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany | 
 | 
 | 
 | 25,927 | 
 | 21,338 | 
| Non-controlling interests | 
 | 
 | 
 | 78 | 
 | 78 | 
| 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 26,005 | 
 | 21,416 | 
| Non-current liabilities | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
| Non-current provisions for employee benefits | 
 | 
 | 2,030 | 
 | 3,402 | |
| Other non-current provisions | 
 | 
 | 299 | 
 | 269 | |
| Non-current financial debt | 
 | 
 | 9,200 | 
 | 8,270 | |
| Other non-current financial liabilities | 
 | 
 | 147 | 
 | 106 | |
| Other non-current non-financial liabilities | 
 | 
 | 14 | 
 | 15 | |
| Non-current income tax liabilities | 
 | 
 | 38 | 
 | 42 | |
| Deferred tax liabilities | 
 | 
 | 1,279 | 
 | 1,411 | |
| 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 13,007 | 
 | 13,515 | 
| Current liabilities | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 
| Current provisions for employee benefits | 
 | 
 | 239 | 
 | 224 | |
| Other current provisions | 
 | 
 | 372 | 
 | 377 | |
| Current financial debt | 
 | 
 | 1,228 | 
 | 2,531 | |
| Other current financial liabilities | 
 | 
 | 1,275 | 
 | 1,192 | |
| Trade and other current payables | 
 | 
 | 2,498 | 
 | 2,380 | |
| Refund liabilities | 
 | 
 | 912 | 
 | 839 | |
| Current income tax liabilities | 
 | 
 | 1,483 | 
 | 1,421 | |
| Other current non-financial liabilities | 
 | 
 | 1,507 | 
 | 1,468 | |
| 
 | 
 | 
 | 
 | 9,513 | 
 | 10,432 | 
| Total equity and liabilities | 
 | 
 | 
 | 48,526 | 
 | 45,362 |