Historic Hindenburg Park
German American History of Hindenburg Park
La Crescenta Regional Park, County of Los Angeles was an oak tree property that was acquired by the German American League (Deutsch-Amerikanischer Verband Los Angeles) in 1925. The League itself had been founded in 1905 as an Umbrella Organization for the German Clubs in Los Angeles. Some of those Clubs date back to 1859 when Los Angeles had no railroads or Freeways and a population of under 2,000.
German American League (GAL) buys Hindenburg Park in 1927
The property was purchased in July 1927 for $15,000. The amount of $8,000 was eventually spent for improvements to the park, like a stage, dance floor, parking area and kitchen. All the work was done by volunteers of the member clubs, who wanted to promote and celebrate the German Culture. In 1934 the Park was named for President Paul von Hindenburg. The League paid Tribute to him after his death with a gigantic 5 ft bust on a pedestal in the back of the park. Hindenburg was the President of the democratic Weimarer Republik, the pre-Hitler Germany. In January 1935 the German-American League received a letter from Oscar von Hindenburg, thanking them for naming the park in honor of his father.
Cultural Center Hindenburg Park
During the 30’s to the 50’s the Park was the scene of hundreds of elaborate German cultural celebrations, featuring bands, plays, dances, and parades, with literally thousands of participants each weekend, consuming German food specialties, beer and wine. The first picnic held there was on May 5, 1935, the official Maifest of the German-American League. When the clubs were not using the park it was rented out. From then on Easter celebrations, Maifests and German Days were held at the park with an average of 3,000 to 4,000 persons in attendance. All improvements such as repairing the dance floor and the parking area in the park were made by volunteer workers from the delegates and club members. The GAL regularly financially supported the Winterhilfswerk with funds used mainly to benefit Germans in need and to help unemployed German families.
Park Renamed to La Crescenta Picnic Grounds in 1939
During World War II, the park was understandably not very popular. In April 1939 the delegates decided to drop the name Hindenburg Park temporarily and continue under the name La Crescenta Picnic Grounds. They added a second sign at the entrance to the park with that name. In 1942 a lease for the Park was signed by the US Army for $75.00 a month, and in August ’43 it was renewed until June, 1944.
On October 19th, 1945 the League resumed its monthly meetings again. On February 21st, 1946, there was an Easter Celebration and worship service at the Hindenburg Park. The 1947 German Day Celebration had 3,017 paying guests. In October the GAL made the final payment on the mortgage for the Hindenburg Park and planned a mortgage burning at the 1948 Maifest.
A Date with Beethoven
In March 1952 the GAL commissioned a Beethoven Bust from the artist Mr. Henry van Wolf . A Beethoven Fest was held on June 7th 1953 at the Hindenburg Park with an unveiling of the bust. Henry van Wolf is the same artist who created the monument at Van Nuys City Hall, and many others. Congratulatory letters for the success of this event were received from US Vice President Richard Nixon, the German Consul and the artist.
In 1956 the first Oktoberfest in California was celebrated at the Hindenburg Park.
Das “Abschiedsfest” – The Farewell picnic
An Abschiedsfest picnic was held at the Hindenburg Park on May 5th. 1957. The Beethoven Bust and the Memorial Plaque for the fallen Soldiers would be stored at a private home. Today, as of June 2017, the Beethoven Bust is located in front of the Alpine Village Restaurant in Torrance on loan from the DAV.
Hindenburg Park was rededicated in 1992
The Park was sold to the County of Los Angeles in 1958 to become part of the already established Crescenta Valley Park to the east of Dunsmore Avenue. On October 4, 1992 tha Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Rededicated the Hindenburg Park.
To preserve the integrity of the history in the Hindenburg Park a German American Wedding and reception was performed on July 30th, 1994.
The Tricentennial Foundation celebrated the 6th of October “National German American Day” from 1989 to 1993 at the Hindenburg Park. The day was signed into public law 100-104 by President Ronald Reagan on October 2nd, 1987 in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington DC.
Few American Nazis created bad reputation for all
The park had a colorful history with colorful events, among them American Nazis holding political rallys with which they were trying to entice their German-American friends and fellow citizens to go down the dark path of Nazi Germany. Looking at some videos of Nazi events in Hindenburg Park there is little enthusiasm detectable in the bystanders, who had obviously come to celebrate other things, but did not dare to oppose these thugs openly. The Swastika was the official German Flag during that time, so it had to wave for German events, even though connected to evil during that time.
In 2016 the Tricentennial Foundation paid for a sign to commemorate Hindenburg Park as a part of the German-American History in Los Angeles. The reactions to this sign – that was erected as a reminder of the local German-American History and not as a reference to any person – were disappointing to the Foundation. Below two links about the history of the new sign: