Mendelssohn on the Hudson is a self-guided historical and musical walking tour that follows the footsteps of the German Jews and others who fled 1930s Nazi Germany to settle in Washington Heights, also referred to at the time as "Frankfurt on the Hudson." The self-directed historical tour route – offering autonomy, fresh air, and social distancing – includes West 181 Street to the Heather Garden in Fort Tryon Park, and points in between.
The musical stories presented at their specific locations offer a rare, multi-layered connection between storyteller and listener. It's an unusual, accessible, and free musical experience via smartphone or another internet-enabled device. During the tour, visitors will hear via podcast twelve episodes with songs based on true field-collected stories from neighborhood residents set to Felix Mendelssohn's Songs without Words. Each song offers and retains a snapshot of German Jewish life from the 1930s to the near-present. Mendelssohn on the Hudson is unique in combining oral history, musical theatre, classical music, and local landmarks into a compelling record of the German Jewish culture of Northern Manhattan.
All content for Mendelssohn on the Hudson is the property of Inwood Art Works and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Mendelssohn on the Hudson is a self-guided historical and musical walking tour that follows the footsteps of the German Jews and others who fled 1930s Nazi Germany to settle in Washington Heights, also referred to at the time as "Frankfurt on the Hudson." The self-directed historical tour route – offering autonomy, fresh air, and social distancing – includes West 181 Street to the Heather Garden in Fort Tryon Park, and points in between.
The musical stories presented at their specific locations offer a rare, multi-layered connection between storyteller and listener. It's an unusual, accessible, and free musical experience via smartphone or another internet-enabled device. During the tour, visitors will hear via podcast twelve episodes with songs based on true field-collected stories from neighborhood residents set to Felix Mendelssohn's Songs without Words. Each song offers and retains a snapshot of German Jewish life from the 1930s to the near-present. Mendelssohn on the Hudson is unique in combining oral history, musical theatre, classical music, and local landmarks into a compelling record of the German Jewish culture of Northern Manhattan.
Western entrance to Bennett Park, east of Pinehurst Avenue between 183rd and 185th StreetWe are at Bennett Park (https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/bennett-park/), which was the site of Fort Washington during the Revolutionary War. A plaque on that large rock outcropping also marks the highest point in Manhattan. If you look west on Pinehurst Avenue, you’ll see Hudson View Gardens (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_View_Gardens). Completed in 1925, this lovely Tudor-style complex is on the National Register of Historic Places. For decades, Jews and other minority groups were discouraged from buying homes here.On November 9, 1938, in Germany, antisemitism reached a new height on what would become known as Kristallnacht (https://www.ushmm.org/collections/bibliography/kristallnacht), or the “Night of Broken Glass” - as the Gestapo smashed German Jewish-owned store windows, burned centuries-old synagogues, and arrested Jewish men.One afternoon, while sitting here in Bennett Park, a neighbor shared her memories of that world-shattering night.
Mendelssohn on the Hudson
Mendelssohn on the Hudson is a self-guided historical and musical walking tour that follows the footsteps of the German Jews and others who fled 1930s Nazi Germany to settle in Washington Heights, also referred to at the time as "Frankfurt on the Hudson." The self-directed historical tour route – offering autonomy, fresh air, and social distancing – includes West 181 Street to the Heather Garden in Fort Tryon Park, and points in between.
The musical stories presented at their specific locations offer a rare, multi-layered connection between storyteller and listener. It's an unusual, accessible, and free musical experience via smartphone or another internet-enabled device. During the tour, visitors will hear via podcast twelve episodes with songs based on true field-collected stories from neighborhood residents set to Felix Mendelssohn's Songs without Words. Each song offers and retains a snapshot of German Jewish life from the 1930s to the near-present. Mendelssohn on the Hudson is unique in combining oral history, musical theatre, classical music, and local landmarks into a compelling record of the German Jewish culture of Northern Manhattan.
