“[Adi Dassler] started collecting discarded army gear from across the war-torn countryside. He started making shoes from the skins of discarded army helmets and water bags, and slippers from the fabric of abandoned parachutes,” read a story in The Business Standard. After being defeated in World War I, Germany had spiraled into economic depression with widespread shortages resulting.
In the early 1920s these difficult conditions pulled two talented Bavarian brothers together. Adi Dassler was a designer and craftsman who loved playing soccer. He began designing the first true sports shoes at a time when athletes competed in street shoes. Older brother, Rudolf Dassler was a charismatic salesman who could expertly charm customers. First, they gave free shoes to the local soccer team. Their coach loved how well the team could play in the shoes and became the Dassler’s first client. They formed Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory in 1923, and produced about 50 pairs per day.
“They achieved their first major success at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympic Games, where Lina Radke won gold in the women’s 800m race in Dassler’s company shoes,” said The Business Standard. “Lina Radke’s record-breaking win proved Adi’s theory–you can run faster and perform better–in shoes designed by them.” Athletes in many countries placed orders.
At the 1936 Olympics in Berlin the brothers offered all Olympic athletes their shoes free of charge, including American track phenom Jesse Owens. Wearing Dassler shoes Owens set world records and won four gold medals, humiliating Adolf Hitler. Dassler became internationally famous. Soon, however, the brothers began to argue over every decision, each believing they were the reason the company had become so successful.
By 1939–when World War II began–Dassler was selling 200,000 pairs per year. Eventually, they were forced to convert the factory to munitions production, and during the war the brothers became bitter enemies. Adi would then go on to form ADIDAS, and brother Rudolf would go on to form PUMA–two of the greatest sportswear competitors in the world to this day. But that is another story for another LIFEPATH Newsletter!
