The Dasslers, basketball geniuses and legendary enemy brothers

In the series of struggling brothers, the Dassler brothers are among the least known to the general public. However, they are at the origin of an invention that will revolutionize sport. To understand their history, we have to go back to the beginning of the 20th century. The first sports shoes, at the beginning of the 20th century, were far from being adapted to the movements of athletes. Wooden sole, metal toe… Competition shoes were rigid and very impractical. In Bavaria, the Dassler brothers, passionate about sport, decide to change the situation.

Rudolf and Adolf Dassler, nicknamed “Adie” and “Rudie”, are two years apart and share a great bond. Their father is employed in a company that manufactures shoes. Adolf Dassler therefore had the idea of ​​making his own sports shoes from fabric scraps and leftover military shoes. It made a leather model, less rigid than the shoes on the market at the time. His brother Rudolf will put his oratorical talents to work for the sale. The two men created their business.

The Berlin Olympic Games in 1936 notably propelled them to the rank of first reference in sports shoes. But the Second World War will create a gap between the two brothers, which will ultimately separate them. Each will found their own brand: “Adidas” for “Adi” Dassler, who renames the initial factory, and “Puma” for Rudolf Dassler.

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