If innovation is raising existing resources to a higher level, Klaus Maertens was truly an innovator.
Maertens was a Germany Army doctor at the end of World War II. He suffered an ankle injury just after hostilities ceased but found he couldn’t walk in standard issue army boots.
So, he decided to make his own.
Innovation is hard enough in the benign environment of peacetime, but pursuing a new business in the smoldering ruins of the Third Reich presented special challenges, especially in finding the scarce materials he needed for a revolutionary new shoe.
That he was able to create a new show when most Germans were struggling to survive is a story worth hearing. This short article from Inc shares the story of Dr. Klaus Maertens, better known to us today as “Doc Martens”. Check out his inspiring story: “Looted Leatherer and WWII tires: How Doc Martens Came to Be.
