There’s a famous saying, “No friend is better than a brother, and no enemy is worse than a brother.” This sentiment often plays out in everyday life, but in the case of two German brothers, their rivalry not only divided an entire town but also sparked a fierce competition in sports sponsorships that continues to this day.

Whether it’s the rivalry between Coca-Cola and Pepsi in the beverage industry or Airbus and Boeing in aviation, no competition runs as deep as the one between the shoe giants, Puma and Adidas.

After World War I, the two German brothers, the Dassler brothers, founded a shoe company called “Gebruder Dassler Schuhfabrik” (Geda). However, the company ceased operations during World War II.

Following the war, the brothers parted ways and established their own companies, igniting a rivalry between Rudolf Dassler and Adolf “Adi” Dassler that persists in some form even today.

Recently, this rivalry was evident during the Hamas-Israel conflict. Puma withdrew its sponsorship of the Israeli football team, while Adidas’ CEO discontinued sponsorships in Palestine, citing the high number of child casualties. However, Adidas also removed Palestinian-American model Bella Hadid from the campaign for their iconic SL 72 shoe, originally created for the 1972 Munich Olympics, leading to “Boycott Adidas” trends.

Both companies have a history of supporting and opposing Jewish causes.

A Company Born from Brotherhood

Rudolf Dassler, the elder brother, was born in 1898 in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, followed by his younger brother, Adolf, in 1900.

At the ages of 21 and 19, the brothers launched a shoe company called Gebruder Dassler Schuhfabrik (Dassler Brothers Shoe Company).

Their rivalry has been documented by Barbara Smit in her book “Sneaker Wars,” and even portrayed in a film titled “Adidas vs. Puma.”

In “Sneaker Wars,” Smit details how the brothers started their company in a garage, and within a few years, it grew large enough to require a new location.

In 1933, they joined Hitler’s Nazi Party. Smit explained in an interview that it was difficult for any German company at that time, especially one in the sports sector, to remain separate from Hitler’s party, as Nazi Germany used sports as a propaganda tool.

However, their joint company, “Geda,” sponsored African-American athlete Jesse Owens at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, a move that was seen as a direct challenge to Hitler.

When Owens won the gold medal, all eyes were on his shoes, which were made by Geda. Nevertheless, Hitler refused to shake hands with Owens after his victory.

Geda also sponsored other German athletes who won multiple gold and bronze medals, making the company internationally recognized beyond Germany’s borders.

The Beginning of the Feud

In “Sneaker Wars,” the author suggests that the feud between the brothers was sparked by their wives, who did not get along at all, especially as World War II approached. Additionally, Adi’s reputation as a womanizer also contributed to the tension.

During the war, their shoe factory was converted into a weapons manufacturing plant, and Rudolf was drafted into the German army. When Rudolf was called to service, he suspected that Adi and his wife had planned to send him to the front lines to keep him away from the factory. Later, Rudolf was arrested twice: first for desertion and then by the Allies in 1945 on suspicion of working for the Gestapo (the Nazi secret police).

These incidents convinced Rudolf that Adi had betrayed him. According to a report in Fortune magazine, an American investigator’s report seemed to confirm Rudolf’s suspicions. While Rudolf was imprisoned in a POW camp, Adi rebuilt the business, manufacturing shoes for American soldiers.

After the war and his release, Rudolf launched his own company, “Ruda” (later renamed Puma), and the assets of Geda were divided between the two brothers.