Lexi Webster
The von Trapp family, also known as the Trapp Family Singers, were a respected Austrian singing group who achieved fame in their native country during the interwar period. The family was formed of former Austrian naval commander Georg von Trapp, his first wife Agathe Whitehead, with whom he had seven children, and his second wife, Maria Augusta Kutschera, with whom he had three more. The family's story inspired the musical and film The Sound of Music, which took artistic liberties with the number and names of the children. In 1935, the family lost most of their fortune in a banking collapse in Austria. In 1938, they left Austria, eventually settling in Stowe, Vermont, in 1941, where they began to welcome guests to their 27-room family home/lodge in 1950. After a fire in 1980, the original structure was replaced by the new Trapp Family Lodge, which is still owned and operated by the von Trapp family.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Family Name | Trapp Family (also known as the von Trapp Family) |
| Profession | Singing group |
| Origin | Austria |
| Family Members | Georg von Trapp, Agathe Whitehead, Maria Augusta Kutschera, Rupert, Johanna, Martina, Rosmarie, Eleonore "Lorli" von Trapp Campbell, Johannes, and three other children of Georg and Maria |
| Reason for Leaving Austria | Annexation of Austria by Adolf Hitler in 1938 |
| Emigration Route | Italy, Netherlands, London, United States, Scandinavia, and back to the United States |
| Final Settlement | Stowe, Vermont, United States |
| Purchase of Gale Farm in Stowe, Vermont | 1942 |
| Renamed Gale Farm | Cor Unum (One Heart) |
| Year the Trapp Family Singers Ceased to Perform | 1957 |
| Current Status of the Estate | von Trapp Family Lodge and Resort, owned and operated by the von Trapp family |
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What You'll Learn
The von Trapp family's escape from Austria
The family's escape was not as dramatic as the one depicted in the film *The Sound of Music*, where they are shown hiking over the mountains to Switzerland. In reality, the von Trapps took a train to Italy, pretending to be going on a family vacation. They left just in time, as the Austrian borders were sealed the next day. From Italy, they travelled to London and then to the United States, where they had a contract with an American booking agent. They performed in concert tours across the US for eight months until their visas expired.
The von Trapps then toured Scandinavia, returning to Europe to fulfil concert invitations. During this time, they went back to Salzburg for a few months before finishing their tour in Sweden and Norway. In September 1939, just after World War II broke out, they returned to the United States. They settled in Stowe, Vermont, in 1941, and their youngest child, Johannes, was born in Philadelphia.
The von Trapp family achieved fame as singers both in their native Austria and later in the United States, where they became known as the "Trapp Family Singers". Their story inspired a memoir, two German films, and the Broadway musical *The Sound of Music*.
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The family's time in Italy, the Netherlands, and London
The von Trapp family first fled to Italy, of which they were legally citizens, after Adolf Hitler annexed Austria in 1938. They then moved to Warmond, near The Hague in the Netherlands, where they stayed for a few months as guests of a Dutch banker, Ernest Menten. This stay is described by local historian Miep Smitsloo in her 2007 Dutch book 'Tussen Tol en Trekvaart' ('Between Toll and Canal'). However, Maria von Trapp does not mention this episode in her account of the family's flight.
The family then moved to London before settling in the United States, where they stayed until their visas expired. They had lost most of their fortune in the 1935 banking collapse in Austria and had to earn money by performing and touring nationally and internationally, first as the "Trapp Family Choir" and then as the "Trapp Family Singers". The name change was suggested by their booking agent, Frederick Christian Schang, who also advised them to add English songs to their repertoire, which had previously consisted mostly of Latin and German songs.
After living briefly in Philadelphia and Merion, Pennsylvania, where their youngest child Johannes was born, the von Trapps settled in Stowe, Vermont, in 1941. They purchased a 660-acre farm in 1942 and converted it into the Trapp Family Lodge, initially called "Cor Unum" (Latin for "One Heart"). After World War II, the family founded the Trapp Family Austrian Relief Fund, sending food and clothing to impoverished people in Austria.
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The von Trapp family's time in the United States
The family arrived in the US with very little money, having lost most of their fortune in a 1935 banking collapse in Austria. They had intended to invest the money, inherited from Georg von Trapp's first wife, in a bank in England, but Georg withdrew most of it to help a friend in the Austrian banking business. Unfortunately, the bank failed, and the family lost most of their wealth.
In the US, the family became known as the "Trapp Family Singers". They added English songs to their repertoire, including madrigals, ballads, and folksongs. They ceased to perform as a unit in 1957, by which time several non-family members had joined the group.
In 1941, the family settled in Stowe, Vermont, on a farm they named "Cor Unum" (One Heart). The scenery reminded them of their native Austria. In 1950, they began welcoming guests to their 27-room home, which became known as the "Trapp Family Lodge". After a fire destroyed the original structure in 1980, the lodge was rebuilt and expanded to 96 rooms. The entire property is owned and operated by the von Trapp family.
The von Trapp family's story inspired the musical "The Sound of Music" and two German films. Several members of the family published memoirs, which also provided source material for these depictions.
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The family's singing career
The Trapp Family, also known as the von Trapp Family, was a singing group formed from the family of former Austrian naval commander Georg von Trapp. The family was musically inclined even before Maria von Trapp joined them in 1926 as a tutor for one of the children, who was recovering from scarlet fever. By 1935, the family was singing at the local church in Aigen, where they met a young priest, Dr. Franz Wasner, who encouraged their musical progress and taught them sacred music to add to the folk songs, madrigals, and ballads they were already singing.
In 1936, the family won first place at the Salzburg Music Festival, singing Renaissance and Baroque music, madrigals, and folk songs. This win propelled them to perform in Vienna and Salzburg and undertake a European tour that encompassed France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, and England. In 1938, the von Trapps fled the Nazi regime in Austria and traveled to America. They continued to perform and tour nationally and internationally, first as the ""Trapp Family Choir"" and then, the "Trapp Family Singers". Their performances included sacred music, ancient instruments, madrigals, ballads, Austrian folk songs, and mountain calls, and English and American folk songs.
The von Trapp Family ceased to perform as a unit in 1957. However, their legacy continued through their descendants. Five grandchildren of Werner von Trapp, great-grandchildren of Georg, and step-great-grandchildren of Maria formed a singing group called "The von Trapps". They recorded five albums in a modern style between 2001 and 2016 before disbanding. Another group, "The Von Trapps" (formerly "The Von Trapp Children"), was formed by descendants of the original Trapp Family Singers and toured North America, China, Southeast Asia, and Europe for over 15 years.
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The von Trapp family's lodge and resort in Stowe, Vermont
The von Trapp family, originally from Austria, became famous as a singing group in their native country during the interwar period. The family's story inspired a memoir, two German films, and the Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway musical "The Sound of Music". In 1938, when Adolf Hitler annexed Austria, the von Trapps left for Italy, and eventually immigrated to the United States, where they continued to perform as the Trapp Family Singers until 1957. After the group's disbandment, Maria von Trapp returned to run the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont, for several years.
The von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort in Stowe, Vermont, is a luxury mountain resort with Austrian-inspired architecture and European-style accommodations. The resort is situated on 2,500-2,600 acres of scenic land, offering stunning mountain views year-round. It features 96 rooms and suites in the Main Lodge, 18 villas, and 100 guest house chalets, catering to couples, families, and groups. The rooms are spacious, and comfortable, although some guests have noted that they could benefit from modernisation.
The resort boasts four restaurants, including the renowned Trapp Family Bierhall and Brewery. It offers a range of outdoor activities, such as skiing, snowshoeing, mountain biking, hiking, and hayrides. Guests can also enjoy afternoon tea and cookies, history tours of the von Trapp family, concerts in the meadows, and horse-drawn sleigh or carriage rides. The town of Stowe itself has a charming downtown area with shops and restaurants, as well as natural attractions and cultural activities.
The Trapp Family Lodge has received acclaim for its enchanting atmosphere and Austrian influence, reminiscent of "The Sound of Music". The staff are known for their friendliness, and the resort is recognised as a premier destination in Vermont and the Northeast. The value proposition has been debated, with some guests questioning the high prices relative to room conditions and additional fees. Nonetheless, the Trapp Family Lodge provides a unique and relaxing getaway, combining European luxury with the beauty of Stowe, Vermont.
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Frequently asked questions
It is unclear what happened to the von Trapp estate in Austria after the family emigrated to the United States. The family, also known as the Trapp Family Singers, lost most of their fortune in a 1935 banking collapse in Austria before leaving the country.
The von Trapp family left Austria due to the country's deteriorating situation in the lead-up to World War II. They first fled to Italy, where they were citizens, before settling in Stowe, Vermont, in 1941.
The von Trapp family's estate in Austria was called Villa Trapp. It was located in Aigen, not far from the city of Salzburg.
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