Trapp Family's Austrian Home: What Remains Now?

The Von Trapp family home in Salzburg, Austria, has a fascinating history beyond its depiction in the musical and film 'The Sound of Music'. Known as Villa Trapp, the 22-room mansion was built in 1863 and became the home of Georg von Trapp and his children in 1924. After the family fled Nazi-occupied Austria in the early 1940s, the home was occupied by Heinrich Himmler, who built an underground bunker on the grounds. Following World War II, the property was purchased by a religious group, the Catholic Missionaries of the Precious Blood, who rented it out in the 1990s. Today, Villa Trapp operates as a hotel, welcoming guests to stay in rooms once occupied by the famous musical family.

The home, Villa Trapp, became Heinrich Himmler's summer residence

The home of the famous musical family, Villa Trapp, became the summer residence of one of the Nazis' key leaders, Heinrich Himmler. After the von Trapp family fled the Nazis, Himmler moved into the home and even built an underground bunker on the property. He converted one of the children's rooms into his office and installed a barracks for SS officers in the grounds. The bunker still exists and is used as a storage space.

The von Trapp family, whose story was depicted in the film "The Sound of Music," escaped from Nazi-occupied Austria in the late 1930s. Georg von Trapp, the patriarch of the family, refused to fly the Nazi flag on their house and declined a naval command and a request to sing at Hitler's birthday party. The family also disagreed with the Nazis' anti-religious propaganda and policies. They eventually left Austria and travelled to America, settling in Stowe, Vermont.

After World War II, a religious group, the Catholic Missionaries of the Precious Blood, bought the property from the von Trapps, who had their ownership restored. The priests who moved into the villa heard the creaking of what they believed to be Himmler's ghost walking the floorboards at night. They performed exorcisms to get rid of his presence, but it was only after a carpenter fixed the floorboards that the "ghost" was finally gone.

The property was rented out in the 1990s and later became a hotel in 2008. Guests can now stay in rooms that belonged to various members of the von Trapp family. The villa retains its original, old-world charms and is a popular destination for fans of "The Sound of Music," with 300,000 fans taking part in a Sound of Music tour in the city each year.

Himmler built an underground bunker on the property

After the Von Trapp family fled Austria in 1938, Heinrich Himmler moved into their Salzburg home, Villa Trapp. Himmler, the second most powerful man of the Third Reich, was responsible for setting up and running the Nazi concentration camps. He used the property as his summer residence and made several changes to the house and its grounds. He converted one of the children's rooms into his office and installed a barracks for SS officers in the garden. He also built a white wall around the house using slave labour and had those who constructed it shot. Most notably, however, Himmler built an underground bunker on the property.

The bunker is accessed via a small brick building in the grounds just behind the manor. A flight of stairs leads down into the darkness, revealing a series of dank concrete rooms. After the war, when the Catholic Missionaries of the Precious Blood bought the property, the bunker was used as a storage space. Today, it is a hotel, and guests can stay in rooms that belonged to various members of the Von Trapp family.

Himmler's bunker remains a chilling reminder of the atrocities committed by the Nazis and the dark history of the Von Trapp house. It stands in stark contrast to the musical, The Sound of Music, which immortalised the family's story, and the peaceful atmosphere that now prevails at the property.

The home was later purchased by a religious group, the Catholic Missionaries of the Precious Blood

The Von Trapp family home, Villa Trapp, in Salzburg, Austria, was purchased by a religious group, the Catholic Missionaries of the Precious Blood, after the family regained ownership following their escape from the Nazis. During the war, Heinrich Himmler, one of the key leaders of the Nazis, lived in the home and even built an underground bunker on the property.

The Catholic Missionaries of the Precious Blood used the property for religious purposes and rented it out in the 1990s. The house has a rich history, dating back to 1863 when it was built, and has 22 rooms. It was the residence of Georg von Trapp and his children after the death of his first wife.

The priests who resided in the former Von Trapp home experienced some interesting occurrences related to its past occupants. They heard the creaking of floorboards, which they attributed to the ghost of Himmler, and performed exorcisms to rid the house of his presence. It was only after a carpenter fixed the floorboards that the "ghost" was finally laid to rest.

The property underwent a transformation in 2008 when it was converted into a hotel. Guests now have the unique opportunity to stay in rooms that once belonged to various members of the Von Trapp family, each labelled accordingly. The hotel retains much of its historical charm, offering a glimpse into the past while providing modern amenities and conveniences.

The story of the Von Trapp family and their home in Salzburg inspired the beloved musical and film, "The Sound of Music." The film's release in 1965 increased tourism to the city, with 300,000 fans taking part in Sound of Music tours each year. The impact on the region was recognised by the Salzburg government, who presented the family with medals of honour in 1998.

The house became a hotel in 2008

The Von Trapp family home in Salzburg, Austria, has had a rich history. The family, made famous by the musical "The Sound of Music", escaped the Nazis and fled to America. After they left, Heinrich Himmler, one of the key leaders of the Nazis, moved into the house and even built an underground bunker. Following the war, a religious group, the Catholic Missionaries of the Precious Blood, bought the property from the Von Trapps, who had their ownership restored. Himmler used the home as his summer residence and converted one of the children's rooms into his office, also installing barracks for SS officers on the grounds.

The priests who moved in after the war are said to have heard the ghost of Himmler walking the floorboards at night. They tried to exorcise his spirit multiple times, but to no avail. Eventually, the "ghost" was driven away after a carpenter fixed the creaking floorboards. The priests rented out the property in the 1990s, and in 2008, it became a hotel. Now, guests can stay in rooms that belonged to the Von Trapp family, labelled as such. The hotel retains much of its original charm and will mostly appeal to avid fans of the film.

Guests can stay in rooms that belonged to various members of the Von Trapp family

Villa Trapp, the former home of the Von Trapp family in Salzburg, Austria, has a long and fascinating history. The 22-room historic home was built in 1863, and Georg von Trapp and his children moved there in 1924 following the death of his first wife. The family, who became famous for their musical talents, are depicted in the classic film "The Sound of Music". When the Von Trapps fled the Nazis, the story of their Austrian home was far from over.

After the Von Trapps left, Heinrich Himmler, one of the Nazis' key leaders, moved into Villa Trapp. He even built an underground bunker on the property, which still exists today. Following World War II, a religious group, the Catholic Missionaries of the Precious Blood, bought the property from the Von Trapps, who had their ownership restored. The priests who moved in after the war reportedly experienced paranormal activity, hearing the creaking of what they believed to be Himmler's ghost walking on the floorboards at night. Despite performing three exorcisms, they were unable to get rid of the presence until a carpenter fixed the floorboards.

In the 1990s, the priests rented out the property, and in 2008, it was turned into a hotel. Now, guests have the unique opportunity to stay in rooms that once belonged to various members of the Von Trapp family, including Martina's room (whose name was changed to Gretl in the film). The hotel retains much of its original charm and will particularly appeal to avid fans of "The Sound of Music". For those who prefer more modern accommodations, guided tours of the property are also available.

While Villa Trapp is not as grand as the palace depicted in the film (which was actually the Hotel Schloss Leopoldskron), it is nonetheless a large and historic home filled with fascinating stories and memories of the Von Trapp family. The hotel offers double rooms, providing guests with a unique opportunity to step back in time and experience a piece of Austrian history.

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