Lexi Webster
The von Trapp family, who rose to fame as a singing group in their native Austria, fled the country in 1938 to escape the Nazi regime. The family first escaped to Italy, where they were citizens, before travelling to the Netherlands, London, and eventually the United States. They settled in Stowe, Vermont, in the early 1940s, where they continued to perform as the Trapp Family Singers. The von Trapp family's story inspired the musical and film The Sound of Music, although the family has emphasised that the film took artistic liberties with the facts.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of escape | 1938 |
| Reason for escape | To escape Nazi-occupied Austria |
| First destination | Italy |
| Other destinations | The Netherlands, London, United States, Scandinavia |
| Final destination | Stowe, Vermont, United States |
| Year of immigration | 1939 |
| Year of settlement | 1941 |
| Property | 660-acre farm, later converted into the Trapp Family Lodge |
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What You'll Learn
The von Trapp family escaped Nazi-occupied Austria
The von Trapp family, a singing group comprised of former Austrian naval commander Georg von Trapp and his family, escaped Nazi-occupied Austria in 1938. The family first fled to Italy, where Georg von Trapp was born and held citizenship. They then spent some time in Warmond, near The Hague in the Netherlands, as guests of a Dutch banker, Ernest Menten. This was followed by a brief stay in London before they made their way to the United States.
The von Trapp family's escape from Austria was not as dramatic as depicted in the 1965 film "The Sound of Music," which was inspired by their story. Contrary to the film's portrayal, they did not climb over the mountains with heavy suitcases and instruments but instead left Austria by train. The family's escape route, as shown in the film, would have actually taken them to Germany, not Switzerland.
After arriving in the United States, the von Trapp family continued their singing career, performing and touring nationally and internationally as the "`Trapp Family Choir`" and later, the "Trapp Family Singers." They settled in Stowe, Vermont, in the early 1940s, purchasing a 660-acre farm in 1942, which they named "Cor Unum," meaning "one heart" in Latin. The family converted the farm into the Trapp Family Lodge, which they operated and resided in for many years.
The von Trapp family's story, including their escape from Nazi-occupied Austria, inspired several creative works, including a memoir by Maria von Trapp, two German films, and the Broadway musical "The Sound of Music." The family's story and their musical talents continue to captivate audiences, even decades later.
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They settled in Stowe, Vermont
The von Trapp family settled in Stowe, Vermont, in the early 1940s, having left Austria to escape the Nazi regime. They had previously visited and performed in America, and had a contract with a booking agent there who paid for their boat tickets to New York. In 1942, the family purchased a 660-acre farm in Stowe, naming it Cor Unum, a Latin phrase that translates to "one heart". The farm's sweeping mountain vistas reminded them of their native Austria.
In the summer of 1950, the von Trapps began welcoming guests to their 27-room family home/lodge. After a fire in 1980, the original structure was replaced by the new Trapp Family Lodge, a 96-room alpine lodge situated on 2,600 acres. The entire property is owned and operated by the von Trapp family and was recently renamed the von Trapp Family Lodge and Resort.
After World War II, the von Trapps founded the Trapp Family Austrian Relief fund, which sent food and clothing to impoverished people in Austria. Based permanently in the United States, the family performed their unique mixture of liturgical music, madrigals, folk music, and instrumentals to audiences in over 30 countries for the next 20 years.
The von Trapp children, made famous by the musical "The Sound of Music," were part of the von Trapp Family Singers, whose real-life story inspired the film and play. However, the film took artistic liberties with the number and names of the children. In reality, Georg von Trapp and his first wife, Agathe Whitehead, had seven children, and he had three more with his second wife, Maria Augusta Kutschera.
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The family became known as the Trapp Family Singers
The von Trapp family was a singing group formed from the family of former Austrian naval commander Georg von Trapp. The family achieved fame in their original singing career in their native Austria during the interwar period. They also performed in the United States before immigrating there permanently to escape the deteriorating situation in Austria leading up to World War II.
The von Trapp family first escaped to Italy, where they had citizenship due to Georg's place of birth. They then went to London and eventually ended up in the United States, where they became known as the Trapp Family Singers. They earned money by performing and touring nationally and internationally, first as the "`Trapp Family Choir"` and later changing their name to the "Trapp Family Singers", a suggestion made by their booking agent, Frederick Christian Schang.
The family settled in Stowe, Vermont, in 1941, and purchased a 660-acre farm the following year, converting it into the Trapp Family Lodge, initially called "Cor Unum" (Latin for "One Heart"). They performed a unique mixture of liturgical music, madrigals, folk music, and instrumentals to audiences in over 30 countries for the next 20 years.
The family's story served as the basis for a 1949 memoir written by Maria Augusta von Trapp, titled "The Story of the Trapp Family Singers", which became a best-seller. The book describes the life of the von Trapp family, from their beginnings in Salzburg, Austria, to their adventures in America, where they escaped from German-occupied Europe. The memoir was later fictionalized in the 1959 Broadway musical "The Sound of Music" by Rodgers and Hammerstein.
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They performed in over 30 countries
The von Trapp family, also known as the Trapp Family Singers, performed in over 30 countries. The family patriarch, Georg von Trapp, was a former Austrian naval commander. The family achieved fame in their native Austria during the interwar period. They also performed in the United States before immigrating there permanently to escape the Nazis and the deteriorating situation in Austria leading up to World War II.
The von Trapp family's unique performance style included liturgical music, madrigals, folk music, and instrumentals. Their program included music in Latin and German, as well as English madrigals and folksongs. They added English numbers to their repertoire when they began performing in the United States.
The family's musical journey began in their local church in Aigen, where they met a young priest, Dr. Franz Wasner, who encouraged their musical progress. They also received support from the German concert singer Lotte Lehmann, who persuaded them to take part in a song competition in Salzburg in 1936, which they won. Accompanied by Dr. Wasner, the family toured and performed in Vienna and Salzburg and even undertook a European tour that included France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, and England.
After settling in the United States, the von Trapp family continued to tour nationally and internationally, performing in over 30 countries for the next 20 years. They first performed as the Trapp Family Choir and then changed their name to the Trapp Family Singers, a suggestion made by their booking agent Frederick Christian Schang. The family settled in Stowe, Vermont, in 1941, and purchased a 660-acre farm in 1942, converting it into the Trapp Family Lodge, originally named "Cor Unum," which means "one heart" in Latin.
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The von Trapp family inspired the film The Sound of Music
The von Trapp family's story inspired the film The Sound of Music. The family was headed by patriarch Georg von Trapp, and matriarch Maria von Trapp, and their 10 children (seven of whom were from Georg's first marriage). The family achieved fame in their native Austria during the interwar period as a singing group. They performed in the United States before immigrating there permanently to escape the deteriorating situation in Austria leading up to World War II.
In 1935, the von Trapp family lost most of their fortune in a banking collapse in Austria. When Adolf Hitler invaded Austria in 1938, the family escaped, first to Italy, where Georg was an Italian citizen by birth. They then went to London, and eventually to the United States, where they stayed until their visas expired. After touring Scandinavia, they returned to the US in 1939 and applied for immigrant status. They settled in Stowe, Vermont, in 1941, and purchased a 660-acre farm in 1942, converting it into the Trapp Family Lodge.
The von Trapp family's story inspired several artistic works, including a memoir, two German films, and the Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway musical The Sound of Music. The film adaptation, released in 1965, took several liberties with the family's story. For example, the film depicts the family climbing over the mountains with their suitcases and instruments, while in reality, they took a train to the port of Trieste and left for America from there. Additionally, the film changed the timeline of events, the names and genders of the children, and the way the family escaped Austria.
Despite the artistic liberties taken by the filmmakers, the von Trapp family's story remains an inspiring tale of resilience and courage in the face of adversity. The Sound of Music has captivated audiences for decades and continues to be a beloved classic, thanks to its catchy tunes, charming characters, and impeccably coordinated outfits.
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Frequently asked questions
The von Trapp family initially escaped to Italy, where Georg von Trapp was born and held citizenship. They then travelled to the Netherlands, London, and eventually the United States, where they settled in Stowe, Vermont.
The von Trapp family left Austria to escape the Nazi regime.
No, Maria von Trapp stated that the family "left by train, pretending nothing."
No, the von Trapp family did not visit Switzerland. Their escape route would have taken them to Germany, not Switzerland.
