Fete Believed to Be in Honor of Hitler’s Birthday : Restaurant Fears Violence, Cancels Banquet

The owner of a German restaurant in San Fernando said Thursday that he has canceled a 50-guest banquet Saturday night because he believes a group of neo-Nazis had booked the room to celebrate Adolf Hitler’s April 20 birthday.

Bob Harman, 39, owner of the Alpine Haus on Hubbard Avenue, said he feared that violence would erupt at his restaurant after the leader of the militant Jewish Defense League threatened to protest the party.

“We are canceling it because of the potential for violence,” Harman said. “It’s a matter of safety for my other patrons. . . . Also, it’s not good for my place to look like it’s sympathetic to Nazis.”

Irv Rubin, national director of the JDL, came to the restaurant Wednesday night, Harman said. Rubin said members of his group would picket in front of the restaurant and warned that a fight could break out, Harman said.

‘Doesn’t Mean I Agree’

Until Rubin’s visit, Harman said, he had been unaware of the nature of the party.

“Just because I rent a room out doesn’t mean I agree with their politics,” said Harman, whose restaurant is a popular gathering place for San Fernando business owners and civic organizations. “I really don’t care about political affiliation, but I don’t want violence.”

Edith Huyssem, 60, the Alpine Haus hostess, said a few men came into the restaurant to book the room about five weeks ago. They told her they wanted a private room for 50 and would order German food from the menu and pay cash.

“I always like to ask what kind of party, is it a birthday or an anniversary,” Huyssem said. “They told me it was a birthday party and they would be talking about old World War II memories.”

She said one of the men left a $25 cash deposit to hold the room.

‘Very Vague’

“I remember he looked at the doors and said, ‘There’s an exit there and an exit there. Good,’ ” Huyssem said. “They were very vague about what they wanted.”

Harman said he left a message on the telephone answering machine of the man who left the deposit, stating that the party had been canceled and asking the man to return the call.

Huyssem said the man returned the call late yesterday afternoon but that Harman was out.

“I talked to him and told him the party was canceled because we found out what type of group it was,” Huyssem said. “He said, ‘If the Jews bother you, why don’t you just call the police?’ ”

The restaurant hostess said the man asked about having his deposit returned.

“When I said I needed to get his address, he hung up on me,” Huyssem said.

When a call was made to the man by The Times, an answering machine recording played the official Nazi marching song, “Horst Wessel Lied,” before the message tone.

Rubin said he intends to watch the comings and goings at the Alpine Haus on Saturday night, despite the party’s cancellation. He said he “could not guarantee that violence would not occur,” if he saw neo-Nazi group members entering the restaurant.