An active approach to social responsibility: The Erich Franke Foundation

For more than 20 years, the Erich Franke Foundation has led a little-noticed existence in the shadows. Following the death of its founder Egon Franke, the foundation not only has more money at its disposal in accordance with his wishes, but it will also be more visible in future with a new structure – for the benefit of many organisations in and around Aalen.

Having no children of their own, Egon and Eva Franke took the occasion of company founder Erich Franke’s 100th birthday as an opportunity to establish the Erich Franke Foundation in 2000. According to its articles of association, the federation’s purpose is “the promotion of science and research, the promotion of care for young people and the elderly, the promotion of welfare, the promotion of nature conservation and landscape conservation within the meaning of the Federal Nature Conservation Act and the nature conservation laws of the federal states and the promotion of charitable causes” through the selfless support of people in need. The articles of association also stipulate that these objectives are to be achieved in concrete terms by supporting charitable and non-profit organisations in the city of Aalen, as well as supporting the improvement or redesign of biotopes in Aalen old town, research projects in the field of rolling bearing and other bearing technologies at Aalen University of Applied Sciences and by supplying materials and equipment to municipal and church-run kindergartens in Aalen.

It is in keeping with Egon Franke’s nature, that on the one hand, as a passionate hunter, he explicitly included nature conservation as a purpose of the foundation – and that on the other hand, he did not make a big public fuss about the foundation, especially as the amounts it received were relatively modest.

That all changed after Egon Franke’s death in 2022: In his will, he stipulated that 100,000 euros be distributed every year for at least ten years. The foundation’s assets grew considerably in the coming years thanks to the legacy left by Egon and Eva Franke, and with it the regional significance of the Erich Franke Foundation grew. It was an arrangement that opened up brand-new opportunities, but also brought with it certain challenges. The foundation’s Chairperson, Franke Managing Director Daniel Groz, and the advi- sory board members of fellow Managing Director Sascha Eberhard, former pastor of Aalen’s City Church Bernhard Richter and the current Mayor of Aalen, are therefore working on new concepts and structures that do justice to the increased importance of the foundation and its defined charitable purpose. In the anniversary year of 2024, the Erich Franke Foundation will become even more visible as a brand – in line with the self-image and economic possibilities of Franke GmbH. //

www.erich-franke-stiftung.com