The Sound Of Music: Austria's Beloved Musical Legacy

The Sound of Music is a 1965 American musical drama film starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. It is based on the 1949 memoir The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria von Trapp and is set in Salzburg, Austria. The film adaptation was a blockbuster worldwide, but it ran for only three days in Salzburg movie theatres, with locals showing disdain for a film that wasn't authentic. Austrians resented the historical inaccuracies depicting their heritage and the reinforcement of stereotypes that many Austrians would rather distance themselves from.

Austrians' dislike of the film

The Sound of Music is virtually unknown in Austria, and the few Austrians that do know it tend to dislike it. The film is full of historical inaccuracies and reinforces stereotypes that Austrians would rather distance themselves from, such as men dressed in lederhosen and women in dirndls. The film also misrepresents Austrian culture, music, and dance. For example, the song "Edelweiss" is not a cherished Austrian folk tune or the national anthem, but was composed for Broadway by Rodgers and Hammerstein.

The real Maria von Trapp, who The Sound of Music is based on, was not as innocent as her character in the film. Maria was frequently violent with the children, using corporal punishment to keep them in check. The city of Salzburg rejected a request to name a trail after her because of this. The film also implies that Maria was devoutly religious throughout her life, but she was actually raised as a socialist and atheist and only discovered her religious calling while studying to be a teacher.

The film also takes significant liberties with the story of the von Trapp family's escape from the Nazis. In reality, the family did not escape by hiking to Switzerland, which is a five-hour drive away. Instead, they pretended to go on a mountain hike and took a train to Italy. The movie scene showing them climbing into Switzerland was actually filmed in Germany, near Hitler's Eagle's Nest—not a smart place to flee to.

The film also changes the names and genders of the von Trapp children. For example, the eldest child, Rupert, responded to the question "Which one are you?" with "I'm Liesl!" The family's escape over the mountains was also filmed in the Bavarian Alps, over 200 miles away from Salzburg.

The film's Nazi theme was especially unpopular in Germany, where it premiered soon after WWII. Austrians resented the historical inaccuracies depicting their heritage. The film was a complete flop in Germany and Austria when it premiered in 1965, and neither country has warmed to it since.

The real Maria Von Trapp's dark past

The real Maria Augusta von Trapp, born Maria Kutschera, had a much darker past than her fictional counterpart. Maria was born in 1905 on a train travelling from her family's village in Tyrol to a hospital in Vienna, Austria. Tragedy struck early in her life when her mother, Augusta Rainer, died of pneumonia when Maria was just two years old. Her father, Karl Kutschera, left her in the care of a cousin and spent most of his time travelling the world. Maria had little relationship with her parents and spent her early childhood with various relatives.

In 1912, when Maria was seven years old, her father passed away, leaving her an orphan. She was then taken in by her foster mother's son, known as Uncle Franz. However, Uncle Franz was mentally ill and treated Maria cruelly, often punishing her for things she did not do. At the age of 15, shortly after graduating from high school, Maria ran away from home and stayed with a friend. She intended to become a tutor but struggled to find work. Eventually, she managed to save enough money to enrol in the State Teachers College for Progressive Education in Vienna, graduating in 1923.

In 1924, Maria entered Nonnberg Abbey, a Benedictine monastery in Salzburg, as a postulant, intending to become a nun. However, her plans changed when she was hired to tutor Georg von Trapp's daughter, Maria Franziska, in 1926. Maria eventually began to care for all seven of the von Trapp children and developed a close bond with them. Georg von Trapp, a widowed naval commander, proposed to Maria, despite their 25-year age difference. Maria was conflicted but ultimately accepted, driven by her love for the children. They married in 1927, and Maria became the stepmother of seven children: Rupert, Agathe, Maria, Werner, Hedwig, Johanna, and Martina.

Maria's life with the von Trapp family was not without its challenges. They faced financial difficulties during the worldwide depression in the early 1930s and had to let go of most of their servants. During this time, they also lived under authoritarian rule following the German annexation of Austria in 1938. Georg von Trapp was offered a position in the navy, but he refused due to his ideological opposition to the government. The family also witnessed acts of hatred towards Jewish classmates and encountered Hitler in a restaurant during a trip to Munich.

One of the most notable aspects of Maria's dark past is her temper. By her own admission, she had a "terrible temper" and was prone to angry outbursts, yelling, throwing things, and slamming doors. This contrasted with her portrayal in the film, where she is depicted as warm, loving, and angelic. Maria's strict and disciplinary nature was also at odds with the gentle and kind image presented in the film.

In conclusion, while the film "The Sound of Music" may have portrayed Maria von Trapp as a gentle and loving character, the reality was quite different. The real Maria von Trapp faced a series of tragedies and hardships in her early life, struggled with a volatile temper, and navigated the complexities of living under authoritarian rule. Her resilience, determination, and love for her family shine through despite the darkness, and her story continues to captivate audiences worldwide.

Historical inaccuracies in the film

The Sound of Music is a 1965 musical blockbuster set and filmed in Salzburg, Austria. However, the film is riddled with historical inaccuracies. Here are some of the most notable ones:

Maria von Trapp's Characterisation

The film portrays Maria von Trapp as a kind and gentle woman, but records show that the real Maria was cruel towards her musical troupe and frequently violent with the children, using corporal punishment to keep them in check. The real Maria was also not a nun or a novice. She was an "internee", evaluating whether the life of a nun would be suitable for her. She was raised by foster parents who were socialists without much religious affiliation, and only became more religious during her studies to become a teacher.

The von Trapp Children

In the film, the eldest von Trapp child is Liesl, but in reality, the eldest was Rupert, who was already a practising physician by the time the family fled Austria in 1938. The names of all the von Trapp children were changed for the film. There were also ten children in total, not seven. Three children born to Captain von Trapp and Maria were omitted from the film due to the altered timeframe.

Maria's Relationship with the Children

Maria was hired to tutor Georg von Trapp's second-oldest daughter, Maria, who was ill and had to be homeschooled. She was not hired as a governess for all the children.

The Family's Escape from the Nazis

In the film, the von Trapps flee Salzburg by hiking across the mountains to Switzerland. However, in reality, they would have crossed into Nazi Germany, not neutral Switzerland, which was about 200-300 kilometres away. The family's actual escape was less dramatic; they exited through the gate at the rear of their villa and crossed the railroad tracks behind it to board a train to Italy.

Captain von Trapp's Characterisation

The film portrays Captain von Trapp as a detached disciplinarian, but his children described him as a "warm and loving" father. He was also a warmer and more engaged parent than he appeared on film, and he and his first wife introduced music and song into their house.

These are just a few examples of the historical inaccuracies in The Sound of Music. While the film takes creative liberties with the true story, it has become a beloved classic for many fans around the world.

The impact of the film on tourism in Salzburg

The Sound of Music has had a significant impact on tourism in Salzburg, with thousands of tourists flocking to the city to visit filming locations and experience the world depicted in the film. The city has capitalised on the film's popularity by offering guided tours of filming locations, such as the Mirabell Gardens, Nonnberg Abbey, and Schloss Leopoldskron. These tours allow visitors to step into the world of the film and imagine themselves as characters like Julie Andrews' Maria.

The film's influence on tourism in Salzburg is evident in the creation of dedicated tours, such as the Original Sound of Music Tour®, which takes visitors to locations like the Mirabell Garden and Pegasus Fountain, where Maria and the children danced, and the Church Mondsee, where the romantic wedding scene was filmed. The success of these tours highlights how The Sound of Music has shaped the tourism industry in Salzburg, providing an economic boost to the city.

However, the impact of the film on tourism in Salzburg is not without controversy. While some locals have embraced the film's legacy and capitalised on its popularity, others have expressed disdain for the film's inaccuracies and the way it portrays Austrian culture and history. Some Salzburg residents feel that tourists who come to the city because of the film often miss out on experiencing the "real" Salzburg, with its cultural hotspots and contemporary life. This has created a tension between the city's desire to attract tourists and the locals' desire to preserve their authentic culture and history.

Despite the mixed reactions from locals, The Sound of Music continues to be a significant draw for tourists visiting Salzburg. The city has embraced its role as the filming location for this beloved musical, and it has become an integral part of the city's tourism industry. The film has contributed to shaping the image of Salzburg in the eyes of the world, for better or worse, and its impact on tourism in the region is undeniable.

The film's critical and commercial success

The Sound of Music was a critical and commercial success. The film received five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. It also received Golden Globe Awards for Best Motion Picture and Best Actress, the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement, and the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written American Musical. In 1998, the American Film Institute (AFI) listed The Sound of Music as the 55th greatest American film of all time, and the fourth-greatest film musical. In 2001, the United States Library of Congress selected the film for preservation in the National Film Registry, finding it "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

The film was a major commercial success, becoming the number-one box office film after four weeks, and the highest-grossing film of 1965. By November 1966, The Sound of Music had become the highest-grossing film of all time, surpassing Gone with the Wind, and it held that distinction for five years. The film was popular worldwide, breaking previous box-office records in 29 countries. It had an initial theatrical release that lasted four and a half years and two successful re-releases. It sold 283 million admissions worldwide and earned a total worldwide gross of $286 million.

Despite the film's success, it was not popular in Austria or Germany. In these two countries, the film had to compete with the much-loved Die Trapp-Familie (1956) and its sequel, which were considered the authoritative Von Trapp story. Austrians took exception to the film's historical inaccuracies and the replacement of traditional Austrian folk songs with Broadway show tunes. The film's Nazi theme was also unpopular in Germany, where it was released soon after WWII.

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