Process and apparatus for opening multi-sheeted products, in particular printing products

A device for processing printing products, having a processing drum comprising a plurality of receiving parts (98), which are arranged about a horizontal axis of rotation, run approximately in the direction of the horizontal axis of rotation, are open on the radial outside and into which a printing product (10) can be introduced, with the back margin (28) of said product leading, in each case at a feeding point (40), having transport means (12) for transporting the introduced printing products (10) in the direction of the horizontal axis of rotation during the rotating of the receiving parts, and having attached to each receiving part an apparatus for opening the respective printing product, the apparatus having an opening element with a stabbing member for stabbing between sheets of the product on one of its open sides in a stabbing region, the opening element being movable for lifting the sheets lying on one side of the stabbing member off the remaining sheets, wherein the opening element has a resting surface interfacing with a counter-element in order to hold together the product between said opening element and the counter-element at the stabbing region, a stabbing end of the stabbing member is offset by a predetermined distance in a direction toward the counter-element with respect to the resting surface, and the opening element is movable in order to stab with the stabbing member in a stabbing direction into the held-together product and to lift the sheets off one another upon subsequent further moving thereof.