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In 2016, at Crescenta Valley Community Regional Park, a sign was erected to commemorate the park’s history as Hindenburg Park, a meeting place for the German community to celebrate their heritage, but the sign grazed an old wound. It recalled an era when Nazis in America boldly occupied the park for rallies and youth training. Swastikas were hung on flags and on the armbands of marching group members.
During the 1930s, and concurrent with the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany, the German American Bund was growing more confident in the United States with chapters springing up in major American cities like Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. While their local headquarters were located in Downtown Los Angeles, their point of congregation was Hindenburg Park.
The German American Bund were all but identical to the Nazi Party. They shared the same racist and fascist ideals modified to appeal to Americans, with particular praise for our first president, George Washington.
They were led nationally by Fritz Kuhn and led locally by Herman M. Schwinn and Hans Diebel. For years the Bund spread hateful messages any way they could in hopes of indoctrinating Americans to their cause. By 1939, the party was falling apart, and with the onset of World War II the group was dismantled.
During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, the American Nazi Party attempted to re-establish itself in the Southland with local leader Ralph Forbes, a Glendale resident. Forbes caused a whirlwind of social chaos when he established the party’s headquarters on Colorado Boulevard in Glendale. The party leaders were familiar with the reputation Glendale had for its racial prejudice, and they felt that they might be welcome here. They were not. The new Nazis would be met with strong opposition.
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We invite you to enter the portal and discover the history of Nazis in Glendale. Click on any of the icons in the interactive image or use the menu bar along the bottom to see photos and articles selected from Glendale Library, Arts & Culture’s History Room and other archival sources.
This section of the exhibition focuses on hate groups which engaged in racist violence in Glendale; the content and historical imagery may be upsetting to some viewers.
There are absences in the Library’s collection due to implicit and explicit bias against people of color, which has created an incomplete history of our community. This is true of the vast majority of archival collections in the U.S. We urge you to use this exhibition as a starting point for your own exploration of racial inequality in Glendale and the United States.
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The image used in this episode is taken at Crescenta Valley Community Regional Park, a park where Nazis gathered and held rallies in the 1930’s
NAZI'S In Glendale
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In 2016, at Crescenta Valley Community Regional Park, a sign was erected to commemorate the park’s history as a meeting place for the German community to celebrate their heritage, but the sign grazed an old wound. It recalled an era when Nazis in America boldly occupied the park for rallies and youth training. Swastikas were hung on flags and on the armbands of marching group members.
During the 1930s, and concurrent with the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany, the German American Bund was growing more confident in the United States with chapters springing up in major American cities like Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. While their local headquarters was located in Downtown Los Angeles, their point of congregation was Hindenburg Park.
The German American Bund were all but identical to the Nazi Party. They shared the same racist and fascist ideals modified to appeal to Americans, with particular praise for our first president, George Washington.
They were led nationally by Fritz Kuhn, and led locally by Herman M. Schwinn and Hans Diebel. For years the Bund spread hateful messages any way they could in hopes of indoctrinating Americans to their cause. By 1939, the party was falling apart, and with the onset of World War II the group was dismantled.
During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, the American Nazi Party attempted to re-establish itself in the Southland with local leader Ralph Forbes, a Glendale resident. Forbes caused a whirlwind of social chaos when he established the party’s headquarters on Colorado Boulevard in Glendale. The party leaders were familiar with the reputation Glendale had for its racial prejudice, and they felt like they might be welcome here. They were not. The new Nazis would be met with strong opposition.
Resurrection
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The German American Bund Party dissolved in disarray after the US entered World War II, leaving little organized Nazi presence in America. However, in the 1960s, the American Nazi Party re-emerged, partly in response to the Civil Rights movement. In 1964, American Nazi Party national leader George Lincoln Rockwell announced the fascist group would be establishing a West Coast chapter in Southern California. Its exact location, an unassuming house on Colorado Boulevard in Glendale, occupied by the West Coast leader, Ralph Forbes. Glendale was referred to by these men as being “a white man’s town,” because of its long-standing practices of redlining, racially restrictive covenants (See “All American City,”) and other sundown town practices that kept Glendale effectively all-white for decades. While it seemed like the German American Bund of the 1930s had little opposition until the onset of World War II, the new Nazis had Glendale residents, civic leaders, journalists and protestors fighting them at every turn.
Failed Revival
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The German American Bund Party dissolved in disarray after the US entered World War II, leaving little organized Nazi presence in America. However, in 1960s, the American Nazi Party re-emerged, in part in response to the Civil Rights movement. In 1964, American Nazi Party national leader George Lincoln Rockwell announced the fascist group would be establishing a West Coast chapter in Southern California, and its exact location would be an unassuming house on Colorado Boulevard in Glendale, occupied primarily by the West Coast leader, Ralph Forbes. Glendale was referred to by these men as being “a white man’s town,” because of its long-standing practices of redlining and racially restrictive covenants (See “All American City”) and other sundown town practices that kept Glendale effectively all-white for decades.
While it seemed like the German-American Bund of the 1930s had little opposition until the onset of World War II, the new Nazis had Glendale residents, civic leaders, journalists and protestors fighting them every inch.
Racism and Resistance IN Glendale
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Known as the American Führer, German-born Fritz Kuhn was the national leader of the German American Bund Party. With local chapters opening across the country in major cities, Kuhn was rallying support for nationalism, both for Americans and Germans in America. The group hid their racist, fascist views behind the guise of patriotism, and would quote or reference George Washington often. The Bund would take the national stage in February of 1939 at their largest rally: Madison Square Garden with some 20,000 attendees. It was a startling revelation to the country that there was a Nazi problem in America.
Here in Glendale at Hindenburg Park in La Crescenta, rallies were being held with strong support. Fritz Kuhn, Hans Diebel and Herman Schwinn would take the stage there.
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Known as the American Führer, German-born Fritz Kuhn was the national leader of the German-American Bund Party. With local chapters opening across the country in major cities, Kuhn was rallying support for nationalism, both for Americans and Germans in America. The group hid their racist, fascist views behind the guise of patriotism, and would quote or reference George Washington often. The Bund would take the national stage in February of 1939 at their largest rally: Madison Square Garden with some 20,000 attendees. It was a startling revelation to the country that there was a Nazi problem in America.
Here in Glendale at Hindenburg Park in La Crescenta, rallies were being held with strong support. Fritz Kuhn, Hans Diebel and Herman Schwinn would take the stage there.
Expulsion
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Opposition to Ralph Forbes and the American Nazi Party came from the City of Glendale, residents, and many local veteran’s and religious organizations. Hollywood also became involved when the actor Ronald Reagan spoke along with the Reverend Paul Peterson and commander of the Glendale-Burbank Jewish War Veterans, Dr. Jess Nathan at an anti-Nazi rally held on May 7, 1965 in Glendale. The event deliberately coincided with the 20th anniversary of Victory Day in Europe, which marked the defeat of Germany and the end of World War II.
Bigots UnWelcome
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Opposition to Ralph Forbes and the American Nazi Party came from the City of Glendale, residents, and many local veteran’s and religious organizations. Hollywood also became involved when the actor Ronald Reagan spoke along with the Reverend Paul Peterson and commander of the Glendale-Burbank Jewish War Veterans Dr. Jess Nathan at an anti-Nazi rally held on May 7, 1965 in Glendale. The event deliberately coincided with the 20th anniversary of Victory Day in Europe, which marked the defeat of Germany and the end of World War II.
HIndenBurg Park
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Hindenburg Park was named after German President Paul von Hindenburg, who appointed Aldolf Hitler as Chancellor of German in 1933. The park was known as a cultural center for German Americans and recent German immigrants to Los Angeles. By 1936, a pro-Nazi organization backed by Germany, called the German American Bund had formed and frequently held rallies in the park and even organized a summer camp for children. After WWII the park was renamed Crescenta Valley Community Regional Park, but the name has been controversial as recently as 2016 when a sign that was purchased and installed, once again welcomed visitors in English and in German to “Hindenburg Park.”
HIndenBurg Park
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Hindenburg Park, now Crescenta Valley Community Regional Park, was known as a cultural center for German Americans and recent German immigrants to Los Angeles. By 1936, a pro-Nazi organization backed by Germany called the German-American Bund had formed and frequently held rallies in the park and even organized a summer camp. Crescenta Valley Park’s history and name has been controversial as recently as 2016 when a sign was purchased and installed that welcomed visitors in English and German to “Hindenburg Park.”
Nazi Rallies
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Filmmaker and local historian John Newcombe’s 2007 documentary Rancho La Cañada: Then and Now describes Hindenburg Park’s Nazi past. It was privately owned by the German-American League, and in the 1930s was a site for cultural festivals, as well as the propaganda of the German American Bund.
Clip used by permission of John Newcombe.
Rallying Grounds
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Filmmaker and local historian John Newcombe’s 2007 documentary Rancho La Cañada: Then and Now describes Hindenburg Park’s Nazi past. It was privately owned by the German-American League, and in the 1930s was a site for cultural festivals, as well as the propaganda of the German-American Bund.
Clip used by permission of John Newcome.
History Talk
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In this video, scholars and historians Steven J. Ross, Christopher West and Gary Keyes talk about the rise of Nazism in the United States as well as Nazi presence and activities near and in Glendale.
Professor Steven J. Ross of University of Southern California is an acclaimed historian, scholar, educator, and author of many books, including Hitler in Los Angeles: How the Jews Foiled Nazi Plots Against Hollywood and America. He holds an M.A. and Ph.D. from Princeton University, an M.A. from Oxford University, and a B.A. from Columbia University.
Dr. Christopher West is on the faculty of Pasadena City College. A graduate of UC Berkeley and USC, Dr. West was the first African American man to earn a Ph.D. in History from USC. An expert in Humanities, Dr. West previously worked as curator of history for the California African American Museum in Los Angeles where he originated and designed exhibitions that traveled nationally.
Gary Keyes taught U.S. History, Government and Sociology at Crescenta Valley High School, Pasadena City College and Glendale Community College for 48 years. As a resident of Foothill communities for 53 years, he became interested in local history and considers himself a local historian. He has co-authored three books with Mike Lawler, a former student: “Murder & Mayhem in the Crescenta Valley”, “Wicked Crescenta Valley”, and a third yet to be titled.
Scholars Speak
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In this video, scholars and historians Steven J. Ross, Christopher West and Gary Keyes talk about the rise of Nazism in the United States as well as Nazi presence and activities near and in Glendale.
Professor Steven J. Ross of University of Southern California is an acclaimed historian, scholar, educator, and author of many books, including Hitler in Los Angeles: How the Jews Foiled Nazi Plots Against Hollywood and America.
Dr. Christopher West is on the faculty of Pasadena City College. A graduate of UC Berkeley and USC, Dr. West was the first African American man to earn a Ph.D. in History from USC. An expert in Humanities, Dr. West previously worked as curator of history for the California African American Museum in Los Angeles where he originated and designed exhibitions that traveled nationally.
Professor Gary Keyes is a Southern California native and a retired educator having taught at Glendale Community College (GCC), Pasadena City College, and Crescenta Valley High School for over 40 years. A graduate of UC Santa Barbara and Cal State Los Angeles, he is the co-author of two books: Wicked Crescenta Valley and Murder and Mayhem in the Crescenta Valley.
Ph.D. History, Princeton University
M.A. History, Princeton University
M.A. History, Oxford University
B.A. History/Political Theory, Columbia University
NAZIs at Work
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Bringing blatant and unapologetic racism to the streets of Los Angeles County, the activities of the American Nazi Party of the 1960s are still repugnant to this day. Protests were held by the party in different areas of the Southland, with racist picket signs against “race-mixing,” communism, and racial equality.
NAZI Work
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Bringing blatant and unapologetic racism in the streets of Los Angeles County, the activities of the American Nazi Party of the 1960s are still repugnant to this day. Protests were held by the party in different areas of the Southland, with racist picket signs against “race-mixing,” communism, and racial equality..
Crescenta Valley Park , 2021