As young children, many of us probably remember those Saturday nights when The Wonderful World of Disney would show a classic film. For me, one of my fondest memories was watching the 1965 Rogers and Hammerstein classic, The Sound of Music. Known as one of the best musicals, the story focuses on a woman, Maria played by Julie Andrews, planning to become a nun, yet ends up being a governess for seven children. The father, Captain Von Trapp played by Christopher Plummer, stills mourns the death of his wife, resulting in no music being allowed in the house. After Maria’s involvement, she brought music back into the home and eventually marries the Captain. The plot may seem saccharine and even corny; yet, when the family has to escape from Austria due to the Nazi invasion, the movie turns into a griping experience. Even though the majority of people my age were not musical buffs like I am, I still continue to love all the things that made my childhood memorable. My love for The Sound of Music, however, goes deeper than just loving the movie and its score. To me, the history of the real life Von Trapp family and their story makes the 1959 Broadway show turned 1965 movie musical all the more interesting.
When I was younger, I always loved the history behind popular movies based on real events. For instance, the Disney classic Pocahontas was a favorite because I always was fascinated with who the real Pocahontas was, her life, and her tragic death from small pox. The 20th Century Fox cartoon Anastasia helped me to become fascinated with the real story of the fall of the Romanov family. However, nothing would fascinate me more than the story of the Von Trapp Family.
Back in 1926, Maria Augusta Kutscher took a break from her preparation for becoming a nun to become a tutor for one of the ten Von Trapp children, whose name was also Maria, according to Archive.com. Maria Von Trapp was recovering from scarlet fever and needed assistance from her new tutor. Captain Von Trapp, who was not the stern father that was seen in the movie, was loving and always kept music in the house. He fell in love with Maria Augusta Kutscher, who did not return the same love. Despite her lack of affection, she married him due to her love for his children. When the Nazis invaded Austria, the Von Trapp family escaped by boarded a train to Italy. The family escaped just in time since Natzi leader, Henirich used the Von Trap's Villa as a summer residence.
Eventually, the family had to make money and to do so, they became the Von Trapp Family Singers. The family toured throughout Europe and The United States. Eventually, the family made a home in Stowe, Vermont, in which The Trapp Family Lodge is located. My mother used to say when I turned 16, we would take a trip to the Trapp Family Lodge due to how much I loved the movie. Sadly, I never got to visit, but I hope too in the future in order to gain more insight about the historical family.
For more history about the Von Trapp Family, click the link below:
http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2005/winter/von-trapps.html
For more information about The Trapp Family Lodge, click on the website below:
