Hugo Boss established his company in Metzingen, Germany, in 1923, only a few years after the end of World War I, while most of the country was in a state of economic ruin. Before and during World War II, Hugo Boss's company designed and manufactured uniforms and attire for the troops and officers of the Wehrmacht as well as for other governmental branches of Nazi Germany, including the SS. Hugo died in 1948. 20 years later, two of his grandsons Uwe and Jochen Holy, took over the firm. The business-savvy brothers turned the company around completely, steering it into a new, more promising direction: men's wear.