When"Bethel Home" of the World Headquarters of the Jehovah's Witnesses in Brooklyn, used organs 1931-1960

[Guest Kurt]

This theatre organ was built in 1931 by the Austin Organ Company for station WHK of the Radio Air Service Corp. in Cleveland, Ohio. Austin's Op. 1778 was known as a "unified" (theatre) model, and it included a three-manual Art Deco console and an automatic player. The organ cost $16,500. In 1950, the organ was donated to the Bethel Home and was installed in new building addition then underway. The Great, Choir and Pedal were installed in a chamber that spoke through grills into what is now a dining room but was then a Kingdom Hall for the Brooklyn Heights congregation. The Swell was installed above the ceiling and spoke through a grill. Installation of the Austin organ was supervised by Robert Hatzfeld of the headquarters staff. The organ was used there until about 1960, at which time the organ was in need of major repairs. The Witnesses decided that pipe organs did not fit into their religious profile and, in 1961, the organ was sold and moved to St. Augustine Presbyterian Church in The Bronx.

Charles Scharpeger, an employee of Louis F. Mohr & Co., recorded the following specifications on two occasions: once in February 1962, and the following on January 7, 1963. Pipecounts are suggested, based on typical specifications by Austin of that time.

The first known organ at Bethel Home was a theatre organ built by The A. Gottfried Company of Erie, Penn., and originally installed in Radio Station WHK of the Radio Air Service Corp. in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1931, WHK acquired a new Austin theatre organ (Op. 1788) and the Gottfried organ was moved to the World Headquarters of the Jehovah's Witnesses in Brooklyn. The Gottfried organ, minus its traps, was installed in a chamber beneath the floor of the room into which it spoke. Robert Hatzfeld, a member of the Headquarters staff, was responsible with the installation and maintenance of the organ.

In 1948, the City tore down the room at the Bethel Home for construction of the new Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. It is not known what happened to the Gottfried organ. Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.

The first known organ at Bethel Home was a theatre organ built by The A. Gottfried Company of Erie, Penn (above)

source

In 1950, the organ was donated to the Bethel Home of the World Headquarters of the Jehovah's Witnesses in Brooklyn

 

[The Librarian]

It is a mystery where the organ ended up .... interesting....