Bernhard
May 03, 2025
The von Trapp Family Story
We make your trip special. Walk in the footsteps of the von Trapp family, learn their true story, and visit key sites in Austria. Book your Austria music tour today with BeSpecialTours!
The Origins of the von Trapp Family
Captain Georg von Trapp was born in Dalmatia in 1880 and served with distinction as a submarine commander in World War I. In 1911 he married Agathe Whitehead. They lived in a grand villa in Klosterneuburg, near Vienna, where Agathe died of scarlet fever in 1922, leaving Georg with seven young children. After her death, Georg devoted himself to his children’s care. In 1927 he married their former music teacher, Maria Kutschera, who had come from Nonnberg Abbey to tutor his eldest daughter. The family remained in Klosterneuburg until they moved to Salzburg in 1925, drawn by better teaching opportunities and the city’s musical heritage. To comfort the children, Georg—a former naval officer—taught them simple songs and harmonies at home. Their clear voices and joyful sound soon attracted neighbors. Small concerts in living rooms and gardens became common. Each child learned to read music and to sing in harmony, turning their home into a place of healing and hope.
Maria’s Early Life
Maria Augusta Kutschera was born in 1905 in Vienna and entered Nonnberg Abbey as a postulant. She loved music and taught it to local children. In 1926, Captain von Trapp’s family asked the abbey for a music teacher for their eldest daughter. Maria arrived at the von Trapp villa to teach simple songs and harmonies. Though shy at first, she quickly won the children’s trust with games and sing-alongs by the fireplace. The children called her “Frau Captain” until Georg invited her to marry him in 1927. Maria brought warmth, laughter, and a love of sacred and folk music into the home. She and Georg had three children together. Maria’s teaching style was gentle: she used humming and repetition to help each child learn. Over time, Maria became the heart of the family, guiding them through music, prayer, and daily routines. Her kindness set the stage for the family’s first public concerts and long-lasting legacy.
Music and Life in Salzburg
By 1935, the Trapp Family Singers formed an official choir under the guidance of Dr. Franz Wasner, a friend and music adviser . They started with sacred music at their local church in Aigen and won praise from concert singer Lotte Lehmann. Encouraged, the family added folk songs, madrigals, and ballads to their repertoire. They performed at festivals and community halls across Salzburg and Vienna. Their program grew to include over forty pieces, blending Latin motets, German madrigals, and Austrian folk tunes. Audiences loved their clear harmonies and heartfelt delivery. Georg conducted while Maria and Dr. Wasner managed rehearsals. The family toured parts of Europe—France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, and England—in 1936–37 . Each concert brought growing acclaim, and free performances were offered to those in need. Music not only supported the family financially but also spread joy in a Europe troubled by political unrest.
Escape from Austria
After Hitler’s Anschluss in March 1938, Georg von Trapp refused a commission in the German navy and the family choir’s invitation to perform at Hitler’s birthday concert. To avoid compromise, they left Salzburg by train on 26 March 1938, officially for a concert in Italy. Traveling quietly in standard passenger cars, they disembarked in Italy and stayed briefly in Warmond, Netherlands, with banker Ernest Menten. From there they went on to London before sailing to the United States. Contrary to the movie legend of hiking over the Alps, their real escape used rail and sea routes. This choice kept them safe and enabled a swift start to their North American tour. Their journey showed courage: they left almost all their possessions behind, carrying only sheet music and essentials. Their public story of integrity and faith resonated with audiences worldwide.
Journey to America
The von Trapps arrived in New York City in August 1938 with little money and great hope. On board ship, they gave impromptu concerts that delighted fellow passengers. In America, they quickly found work through booking agent Frederick Christian Schang, first performing in small towns and churches . Audiences grew so large that they moved to concert halls and theaters. Their name—Trapp Family Singers—became known coast to coast. They added English madrigals and folk songs to their program, helping bridge language gaps. In 1939, after a Scandinavian tour, they settled briefly in Philadelphia and Merion, Pennsylvania, where their youngest child, Johannes, was born. Despite lost fortune due to a 1935 banking collapse in Austria, their singing sustained them, turning each performance into a story of resilience and faith.
Life in the United States
In 1941, the family settled in Stowe, Vermont, buying a 660-acre farm in 1942 and converting it into the Trapp Family Lodge, called Cor Unum (“One Heart”) . The children attended local schools, tapped maple trees for syrup, and helped with farm chores. Georg taught them patience and hard work; Maria grew flowers and managed the household. The lodge became a concert venue, with neighbors and tourists attending live performances. Rooms were later named after each child. The family’s simple, music-filled life attracted visitors seeking both outdoor adventures and musical events. In 1949, Maria published her memoir, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers, sharing their journey and faith. Their story inspired guests and musicians alike, turning their Vermont home into a lasting tribute to their unity and song.
The Sound of Music Fame
Maria’s memoir led to a 1956 German film and the Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway musical The Sound of Music in 1959. In 1965, Robert Wise’s film adaptation starred Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. Songs like “Do-Re-Mi,” “My Favorite Things,” and “Edelweiss” became instant classics. Although the film simplified events and dramatized the mountain escape, it captured the family’s love, courage, and music. The movie won five Academy Awards and remains one of the highest-grossing films ever. Fans worldwide visit Salzburg’s Mirabell Gardens, Leopoldskron Palace, and Nonnberg Abbey to relive movie scenes. While the film created new legends, it brought global interest to the true Trapp story and their musical legacy.
Legacy and Museums
The von Trapp legacy continues in Salzburg and Vermont. In Salzburg, visitors can tour sites like the Nonnberg Abbey and the gardens featured in the film. In Vermont, the Trapp Family Lodge still operates as a resort offering hiking, skiing, and live music performances. The family cemetery holds Georg, Maria, and daughter Martina. Grandchildren and great-grandchildren keep singing traditions alive through albums and choir events. Choirs worldwide include Trapp songs, and annual festivals celebrate their music. Their story reminds us of the power of faith, family, and song. On a BeSpecialTours trip, you can explore these real locations and hear the music that bound the von Trapp family together through history.
FAQS
Q: Who were the original members of the von Trapp family?
A: Captain Georg von Trapp, his first wife Agatha, their seven children, plus Maria and her three children after marriage.
Q: Why did the von Trapps leave Austria?
A: In 1938 they refused to sing for the new political regime and escaped across the mountains to maintain their freedom.
Q: Where did the von Trapps settle in America?
A: They settled in Stowe, Vermont, on a farm that became the famous Trapp Family Lodge.
Q: How did “The Sound of Music” film help their fame?
A: The 1965 movie shared their story and songs with a global audience, turning their music into international classics.
Q: Can visitors still hear von Trapp music today?
A: Yes. Live performances occur in Salzburg’s museum and at the Trapp Family Lodge in Vermont.
Want to stand where the film versions of these events were shot? See our complete guide to the Sound of Music filming locations in Salzburg.
