What has Adidas, Puma, Schaeffler and Herzogenaurach in common?

In 1952 my family moved to Herzogenaurach. In those days it was a very small town near Nuremberg and Erlangen in Bavaria, Germany. Although small but a very pictures old town dating back to the 15th century. The houses were built in the Franconian, timberframed style and the walls were made out of clay and wicker woven.

The town was first named in 1002 as Uraha and renamed in the first half of the 14th century as Herzogenaurach. It was surrounded by four separate ramparts, moats and towers. Only two of towers still exist and some of the ramparts and moats.

1720 Lothar Franz von Schoenborn requested a castle to be built there, mainly for administration.

When we moved there it had so many industries they had great problems to get the workforce. There was the tool factory Weiler to produce specialised tools, The needle bearing factory Schaeffler, INA needle bearing, and the carpet factory Schaeffler. They were brothers and built up both companies. The carpet factory closed down in 1980s because the owner died but the needle baring factory built up to a world wide business.

There were three brother Fritz, Adolf and Rudolf Dassler. Fritz Dassler built up a Lederhosen manufacture. The other brothers were Sports shoes manufacturer. There was a paper manufacture and several other small companies. You realize it was a very busy town for 10,000 people.

When Adolf Dassler came back from the First World War he started to produce sports shoe in his mother's wash house. Their father Christopher worked in  shoe factory.  Adolf then put spikes, which where produced by the local blacksmith Zehlein who supported them. His eldest brother Rudolph joined and the 'Gebrueder Dassler Schuhfabrik' (Dassler Brother Shoe Factory). was born.

Apparently Rudolf Dassler invented the studs and the first time they were used by the Gold Medallist Jessy Owen at the 1936 Olympics. This really gave it a breakthrough, especially internationally. After that the two brothers worked hard and each manufactured their own products. Rudolf Dassler got more involved in Athletics. He also invented some material to soften the impact on the feet hitting the ground. Adolf Dassler got more involved in football and invented the screw on studs..

At the beginning of the war Rudolf and Adolf Dassler had such an argument that they never spoke to each other again. It was so bad that it even split the town apart. People were loyal either to Rudolf or to Adolf. Even now in the cemetery, one lies one side and the other right the opposite side. Doesn't make sense?

I never knew anything about it till recently. I was a teenager and working in the company Schaeffler and was interested in Rock and Roll's stars and their music as well as all the films and film stars.

Adolf Dassler used to have many famous sports' people to stay with him. We used to get all excited when we could get a glimpse of them. Some footballers were such a disappointment. There you saw them on the telly looking all magnificent. Then you saw them in reality and they were short and bowlegged. Oh well, another teenage heartbreak.

Nowadays, when you go to Herzogenaurach it is quite a big town and, of course, Adidas and Puma are enormous. They don't produce the goods there anymore but the administration is still there. Both their sons of Adolf Dassler and Rudolf Dassler sold the companies. The granddaughter has a big sport hotel called Herzo Park and big training facilities for various sports there. In the 2006 World Cup the Argentinian team stayed there.

There is also a big warehouse of Adidas were you can buy Adidas shoes, trainers, shirts, soccer team jerseys, and shorts. Puma, of course, has their separate warehouse and you also can buy Puma trainers, shoes,etc.

The real owners of all these companies, now worldwide known, have died and I often think what a history I experienced and never realized. It is quite amazing.