A sterilizing device for sterilizing closures for closing containers has vertically-oriented closure receivers arranged around a circumference of said rotor that moves said closures through a treatment zone between a closure inlet and outlet. One of the closure receivers is provided with said actuating device that at least partially engages the housing for applying, using the actuator, an actuation movement to a closure in said closure receiver. The actuator is movably connected to the opening via a bellows.