Business and a Brew

The Nazi Shoemaker: How Much Do You Know About Puma and Adidas

Danielle Thompson

We got into the seriously dramatic sibling story behind two of the biggest sports brands on the planet: Puma and Adidas. What started as a shared passion for making top-notch running shoes turned into a full-blown family feud with global consequences.

Back in 1924, Rudolph and Adolf Dassler set up a shoe factory powered by a stationary bike. Their designs took off, especially with German athletes, and things were looking pretty solid. But then World War II happened, and tensions between the brothers exploded. By 1943, their partnership was over for good.

After the war, things got even messier. They testified against each other during the denazification trials, and Adolf ended up banned from business for years. When they did finally go their separate ways, it got real. Rudolph launched Puma in 1948. Adolf followed with Adidas in 1949, and yes, the famous three-stripe logo was born.

Despite their shared roots, Adidas went on to leave Puma in the dust. Family drama, global brands, and a rivalry that shaped the world of sportswear.

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business.

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat.

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.