After the War
When he and his brothers got home from the war, Adi saw that the family’s hometown had changed a lot. The war had had a disastrous effect on the local economy, with Paulina having to close down her laundry business. Now, more than ever, it was vital for the boys to go out and find work to start supporting the family.
Former German football stars (L-R) Uwe Seeler, Horst Eckel and Andreas Brehme pose for photographers after the unveiling of a statue of Adolf Dassler, founder of German sports equipment maker Adidas, 29 May 2006 in Herzogenaurach, southern Germany. TIMM SCHAMBERGER /AFP /Getty Images
It was then that Adi made a big decision: he was going to start his own shoe business, focusing on his idea of developing different designs for different athletes. He used his mom’s old laundry shed as his first base of operations.