Lexi Webster
The Von Trapp family, a respected Austrian singing group, fled Austria in 1938 shortly after Hitler's annexation of the country. The family, which included 10 children, were opposed to Hitler's morals and ideals and so escaped first to Italy, where they had citizenship, and then to the United States, where they continued to perform as the Trapp Family Singers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of fleeing Austria | 1938 |
| Reason for fleeing | To escape the Nazi regime and Hitler's annexation of Austria |
| Family members at the time | Captain Georg von Trapp, Maria von Trapp, and nine children |
| Destination after fleeing | Italy, the Netherlands, London, and the United States |
| Citizenship | Italian, due to Georg von Trapp's birthplace |
| Profession | Singing group, "The Trapp Family Singers" |
| Post-fleeing residence | Bought a farm in Stowe, Vermont, in 1941, which became the Trapp Family Lodge |
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What You'll Learn
The von Trapp family fled Austria to escape the Nazi regime
The von Trapp family, a respected Austrian singing group, fled Austria to escape the Nazi regime. The family, led by former Austrian naval commander Georg von Trapp, left shortly after Hitler's annexation of Austria in 1938. They escaped first to Italy, where they had citizenship due to von Trapp's birthplace, which became Italian territory in 1920.
The von Trapps' opposition to Hitler's morals and ideals, as well as the deteriorating situation in Austria leading up to World War II, motivated their decision to flee. They travelled to America, where they had a contract with an American booking agent. Their success in the United States as "The Trapp Family Singers" allowed them to settle permanently, and they purchased a farm in Stowe, Vermont, in 1941.
The von Trapp family's story has since been immortalized in a memoir, two German films, and the Broadway musical "The Sound of Music." The family's former residence in Austria, known as the Trapp Villa, is now a hotel that offers guided tours focusing on the family's history.
It is worth noting that the timeline and certain details of the family's escape were altered in the film "The Sound of Music." For example, in reality, Georg and Maria von Trapp married in 1927, 11 years before they left Austria, and their reasons for fleeing involved more than just escaping the Nazi regime. The family had also lost their fortune in the 1930s due to the Great Depression and a banking collapse in Austria.
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They settled in the US, becoming the Trapp Family Singers
The von Trapp family fled Austria in 1938, shortly after Hitler's annexation of the country. They first travelled to Italy, where they had citizenship due to Georg von Trapp's birthplace, which became Italian territory in 1920. They then moved to the Netherlands, where they stayed for several months as guests of a Dutch banker, Ernest Menten. From there, they went to London and then to the United States, where they stayed until their visas expired. After touring Scandinavia, they returned to the US on September 7, 1939, and applied for immigrant status.
The family had already been performing as a choir in Austria, and they continued to perform in the US, becoming known as the "Trapp Family Singers". They had a contract with an American booking agent before they left Austria, and their success in the US allowed them to settle there permanently. Their repertoire included sacred music, ancient music played on instruments such as recorders and violas, madrigals, ballads, Austrian folk songs and mountain calls, and English and American folk songs. In 1941, they purchased a farm in Stowe, Vermont, which eventually became the Trapp Family Lodge, a flourishing hotel that is still in operation today. The family ceased to perform as a unit in 1957, and the last surviving member of the Trapp Family Singers, Johannes von Trapp, was alive as of February 2025.
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The family had Italian citizenship due to Georg von Trapp's birthplace
The von Trapp family, a respected Austrian singing group, fled Austria shortly after Hitler's annexation of the country in 1938. The family, which included ten children, escaped first to Italy, where they had citizenship due to Georg von Trapp's birthplace.
Georg von Trapp was born in Zadar, which was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the time. In 1920, Zadar became part of Italy, making Georg an Italian citizen. As a result, his wife and children also held Italian citizenship. The family left Austria by train, pretending to be going on a vacation, and their sudden departure proved timely as the Austrian borders were sealed the next day.
The von Trapps' escape from Austria was driven by the deteriorating political situation in the country and the threat posed by the Nazi regime. Georg von Trapp was opposed to Adolf Hitler's morals and ideals, and the family's subsequent movements took them to the Netherlands, London, and eventually, the United States.
In the United States, the von Trapps continued their musical career as the "Trapp Family Singers," achieving success and eventually settling in Vermont. The family's story inspired a memoir, two German films, and the Broadway musical "The Sound of Music," which took certain liberties with the facts.
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They left Austria shortly after Hitler's annexation in 1938
The von Trapp family left Austria shortly after Hitler's annexation of the country in 1938. The family, which included Captain Georg von Trapp and his wife Maria, fled the Nazi regime and travelled to Italy, where they had citizenship. This was due to Georg's birthplace, Zadar, becoming Italian territory in 1920.
The family had a contract with an American booking agent before they left Austria, and they contacted the agent from Italy to request passage to America. They had some success in the US as a singing group, known as the "Trapp Family Singers", which allowed them to settle there. They also performed in Scandinavia before returning to the US in 1939, where they applied for immigrant status.
The von Trapps had lost most of their fortune in the 1935 banking collapse in Austria and were forced to leave Austria with very little money. They had to rely on their musical performances for income, and their success in the US was enough for them to remain there. They eventually bought a farm in Stowe, Vermont, which became the Trapp Family Lodge. This lodge is still a flourishing hotel today, run by the great-grandchildren of Captain von Trapp, who continue the family's musical legacy as the "New Von Trapp Family Singers Climb Every Mountain".
The von Trapp family's story inspired a memoir, two German films, and the Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway musical, "The Sound of Music". The story of their escape from Austria is detailed in the 2007 Dutch book 'Tussen Tol en Trekvaart' ('Between Toll and Canal') by local historian Miep Smitsloo.
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The von Trapp family lost their fortune in the 1930s
The von Trapp family, like many others, lost their fortune during the Great Depression in the 1930s. They went broke when their bank collapsed in 1935, three years before they fled Austria. The family was forced to take in boarders, including Father Franz Wasner, who recognised their musical talent and crafted them into professional singers.
The von Trapps were left with very little money, and their only income after leaving Austria came from their musical performances as "The Trapp Family Singers". They had some success in the United States, which allowed them to settle there. They continued to tour successfully in the US for many years and eventually purchased a farm in Stowe, Vermont, in 1941, which became the Trapp Family Lodge.
The family's musical career began in Austria during the interwar period, where they achieved fame in their native land. Maria von Trapp founded a family choir in the early 1930s, and they had frequent public performances. The family included former Austrian naval commander Georg von Trapp, his wife Maria, and their ten children.
The von Trapp children's names were Rupert, Agathe (called "Liesl" in the film), Maria-Franziska, Werner, Hedwig, Johanna, Martina, Rosmarie, Eleonore, and Johannes. The eldest, Rupert, was already a medical doctor during World War II, and the youngest surviving member of the family, Johannes, is still alive as of February 2025. The original seven Trapp children had all died by 2014.
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Frequently asked questions
The von Trapp family fled Austria to escape the Nazi regime.
The von Trapp family left Austria in 1938, shortly after Hitler's annexation of the country.
The von Trapp family first fled to Italy, where they had citizenship due to Georg von Trapp's birthplace, and then travelled to the United States via the Netherlands, London, and Scandinavia.
The von Trapp family left for the United States to escape the deteriorating situation in Austria leading up to World War II and to pursue their musical careers as the "Trapp Family Singers".
The von Trapp family settled in Vermont, where they continued to perform and conduct successful tours in the United States. They purchased a farm in Stowe, Vermont, in 1941, which eventually became the Trapp Family Lodge.
