Adolf Dassler | |
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![]() Dassler at age 15, c. 1915 | |
Born | |
Died | 6 September 1978 Herzogenaurach, West Germany | (aged 77)
Occupation | Founder of Adidas |
Political party | Nazi Party (1933–1945) |
Spouse(s) | Käthe (née Martz) (17 July 1917 – 31 December 1984) |
Parent(s) | Christoph Dassler (father) Pauline Dassler (mother) |
Relatives | Fritz Dassler (brother) Marie (sister) Rudolf Dassler (brother) Horst Dassler (son) Armin Dassler (nephew) |
Adolf "Adi" Dassler (3 November 1900 – 6 September 1978) was a German cobbler, inventor, and businessman who founded the German sportswear company Adidas. He was also the younger brother of Rudolf Dassler, founder of Puma. Dassler was an innovator in athletic shoe design and one of the early promoters who obtained endorsements from athletes to drive sales of his products. As a result of his concepts, Adi Dassler built the largest manufacturer of sportswear and equipment. At the time of his death, Adidas had 17 factories and annual sales of one billion marks.[1]