25 Facts About Adolf Dassler

Adolf "Adi" Dassler was a German cobbler, inventor and businessman who founded sportswear giant Adidas.

Adolf Dassler was the younger brother of Rudolf Dassler, founder of Puma.

Adolf Dassler became quite adept at modifying available devices to help mechanize production in the absence of electricity.

Adolf Dassler produced one of the earliest spiked shoes, with spikes forged by the smithy of the family of his friend Fritz Zehlein.

Adolf Dassler constantly experimented with various materials, such as shark skin and kangaroo leather, to create strong but lightweight shoes.

The Adolf Dassler brothers did not fail to see how their economic interests would benefit from politics and joined the Nazi Party on 1 May 1933, three months after Hitler became Chancellor.

Adolf Dassler testified that he was involved in clubs with other political affiliations, such as a liberal gymnastic club, Herzogenaurach's conservative KHC football club and a workers' sports club named "The Union".

Adolf Dassler became a frequent house guest of Martz, who allowed him to begin a relationship with his fifteen-year-old daughter Kathe.

Adolf Dassler had frequent run-ins with Adi's parents as well as Rudolf and his wife, all of whom lived in the same house.

Adolf Dassler claimed that the brothers' relations were "ideal" until 1933.

The Adolf Dassler firm was permitted to operate, but its production was severely curtailed.

Fritz Adolf Dassler, who was not on speaking terms with Adi, made a similar decision, laying off a teenaged seamstress who worked for his lederhosen manufacturer, but had worked previously for four years for Adi, who managed to provide her a job at the shoe factory for the rest of the war.

In December 1943, the Adolf Dassler firm had their equipment replaced by spot-welding machines designed to make Panzerschrecks instead of shoes.

Adolf Dassler was sent to an internment camp in Hammelburg.

Adolf Dassler noted that both Rudolf's wife and his brother Adi testified that Rudolf had worked for the Gestapo.

Adolf Dassler claimed that his brother had falsely denounced him and that Adi had made political speeches to employees at the plant.

Adolf Dassler was able to manage the business from July 1946 to February 1947 under the supervision of a trustee, until the business separation from his brother in 1948.

Adolf Dassler fell upon the idea of coloring the straps used for reinforcement on the sides of the shoes a different color than the shoes themselves.

Adolf Dassler experimented with different numbers of straps and ultimately decided upon three.

In March 1949, Adolf Dassler registered the three stripe logo as the company's trademark.

Herberger began an association with the Adolf Dassler firm, having been cultivated by Rudolf Adolf Dassler.

Adolf Dassler learned of 18 year old Fritz Walter in 1938 and began grooming him for the team.

Adolf Dassler was married to Kathe until his death from heart failure in 1978.

In 1973, their son Horst Adolf Dassler founded Arena, a producer of swimming equipment.

In 2006, a sculpture of Adolf Dassler was unveiled in the Adi Adolf Dassler Stadium in Herzogenaurach.