ERFURT_ 2,037.01 euros for a good cause – this is the pleasing result of an extraordinary auction conducted by the non-profit association “LEG-Sommerschule” from March 31 to April 10, 2025, via the online platform Ebay. A total of 40 partly signed jerseys and collector’s items were auctioned off to the highest bidders; almost all auction items are related to the stay of the German and English national teams at the Spa & GolfResort Weimarer Land in Blankenhain a year ago during the European Championship. Both teams had set up camp in Thuringia before or during the UEFA European Football Championship. The other part of the auction items was provided by the two Thuringian basketball clubs Science City Jena and Basketball Löwen Erfurt. The total proceeds will benefit two Thuringian projects: the Forest Laboratory of the Schutzgemeinschaft Deutscher Wald in Jena and the Evangelische Stadtmission Erfurt – “Frauenhilfe”.
"For our project business, it was a 'highlight' last year to support the stays of the German and English national teams in Blankenhain“, say Andreas Krey and Sabine Wosche, managing directors of LEG and both active on the board of the "LEG Summer School“. Among other things, LEG operated the media center around the training camps and carried out various accompanying projects in the region. "We are of course very pleased that we can now make financial support possible for two heart projects as part of the auction, building on this multifaceted project. The LEG Summer School contributes, among other things, to the compatibility of work and family, climate protection, and social equality, and thus to issues that are close to our hearts as a state development company.“
Since 2021, the LEG Summer School has been working very closely with the Schutzgemeinschaft Deutscher Wald Landesverband Thüringen e. V. They organize forest education action days for kindergartens, primary and secondary schools in Thuringia. In summer, the SDW opens a forest laboratory in Jena, which is supported by a portion of the proceeds from the auction. In cooperation with the Schutzgemeinschaft, the LEG Summer School has also been carrying out tree planting campaigns for several years. A total of 4,800 trees have already been planted, and this year another 1,200 trees will be added.
The other half of the proceeds benefits the Evangelical City Mission Erfurt, specifically the help for women and their children in emergency situations. With this, the LEG Summer School aims to financially support the aid network that quickly and uncomplicatedly catches women in precarious family or life situations.
Several DFB jerseys, fully signed by the German national football team, went under the virtual hammer as part of the auction. The auction items also included a high-quality billiard table, a professional indoor golf mat, and a special edition of the popular table football game Subbuteo, three items exclusively provided by the English national football team. The latter were actively used by the "Three Lions“ players off the pitch during this time. Additionally, the two top basketball clubs Science City Jena and Basketball Löwen Erfurt donated a total of 33 signed jerseys from their players to the LEG summer school, which were also auctioned off to the highest bidder as part of the auction.
The auction was conducted by the "LEG Sommerschule – Unternehmen engagieren sich für Familien e. V.“, which, among other things, offers a diverse range of holiday activities for the children of Thuringian families during the summer holidays. The association is also committed to further social projects in Thuringia, as has now happened. The founding of the association was initiated by LEG Thüringen, which brought a number of partner companies on board.
Background:
In 2024, the English and German national football teams brought a real summer fairy tale to Blankenhain, Thuringia with their stay: The Spa & Golf Resort Weimarer Land hosted the training camp of the German national team from the end of May, as well as the stay of the English national team during the European Football Championship. On behalf of the then Thuringian Ministry of Economics, Science and Digital Society, LEG Thüringen was responsible for upgrading the sports ground and castle square in Blankenhain in the run-up to the visit. During the training camp and during the European Championship match period, the respective official media centers of the DFB and the English Football Association were housed in Blankenhain Castle. As a thank you for the support during this time, both football teams left partially signed souvenirs. In addition, the two top Thuringian basketball clubs, Science City Jena and Basketball-Löwen Erfurt, sponsored signed jerseys of their players for a good cause. With the auction, the LEG summer school is happy to pass them on to sports enthusiasts and supports two social projects in Thuringia with the proceeds.
