ERFURT – €2,037.01 for a good cause – that's the impressive result of an extraordinary auction held by the non-profit organization "LEG Summer School" on the online platform eBay from March 31 to April 10, 2025. A total of 40 jerseys, some signed, and other collectibles were auctioned off to the highest bidders; almost all the items were related to the German and English national football teams' stay at the Spa & Golf Resort Weimarer Land in Blankenhain a year ago during the European Championship. Both teams had been based in Thuringia before and during the tournament. The remaining items were donated 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 German Forest Protection Association in Jena and the Erfurt Protestant City Mission – "Women's Aid.".
“For our project business, supporting the German and English national football teams’ stays in Blankenhain last year was a real highlight,” say Andreas Krey and Sabine Wosche, managing directors of LEG and both members of the board of the “LEG Summer School.” LEG operated the media center for the training camps and carried out a variety of accompanying projects in the region. “We are, of course, delighted that we can now, through this auction, provide financial support for two projects close to our hearts, building on this multifaceted project. The LEG Summer School contributes to reconciling work and family life, climate protection, and social equality – topics that are very important to us as a state development corporation.”
The LEG Summer School has been working very closely with the Thuringian branch of the German Forest Protection Association (SDW) since 2021. The SDW organizes forest education activity days for kindergartens, primary, and secondary schools in Thuringia. This summer, the SDW will open a forest laboratory in Jena, which will be supported by a portion of the auction proceeds. In cooperation with the SDW, the LEG Summer School has also been conducting tree-planting campaigns for several years. A total of 4,800 trees have already been planted, with another 1,200 trees being added this year.
The other half of the proceeds will benefit the Protestant City Mission of Erfurt, specifically the assistance of women and their children in emergency situations. With this, the LEG Summer School aims to financially support the support network that provides quick and uncomplicated assistance to women in precarious family or life situations.
Several DFB jerseys, all signed by the German national football team, went under the virtual hammer at the auction. Other items 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 donated by the English national football team. The latter were used extensively by the "Three Lions" players off the pitch during this period. In addition, 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.
The auction was conducted by "LEG Summer School – Companies Committed to Families e. V.", which, among other things, provides a diverse range of holiday activities for children from Thuringian families during the summer holidays. The association also supports other social projects in Thuringia, as was the case with this auction. The association was founded by LEG Thüringen, which brought a number of partner companies on board.
Background:
In 2024, the English and German national football teams brought a true summer fairytale to Thuringia with their stay in Blankenhain: The Spa & Golf Resort Weimarer Land hosted the German national team's training camp from the end of May, as well as the English national team's stay during the European Football Championship. Commissioned by the then Thuringian Ministry for Economic Affairs, Science and Digital Society LEG Thüringen was responsible for upgrading the sports field and castle grounds in Blankenhain in preparation for the visit. During the training camp and throughout the European Championship, the official media centers of the German Football Association (DFB) and the English Football Association were located in Blankenhain Castle. As a token of appreciation for their support during this time, both football teams left behind some signed souvenirs. In addition, the two top Thuringian basketball clubs, Science City Jena and Basketball Löwen Erfurt, sponsored signed jerseys from their players for charity. The LEG Summer School is pleased to offer these jerseys to sports enthusiasts through this auction, with the proceeds supporting two social projects in Thuringia.
