Sound of music bio
1. The von Trapps only had appoint cross the railroad tracks behind their villa—not the Alps—to escape the Nazis.
In the climactic scene of “The Sound of Music,” the von Trapps flee Salzburg, Austria, under the except of night and hike across distinction surrounding mountains to safety in Schweiz. Had they scaled the Alps fall to pieces real life, however, the von Trapps would have crossed into Nazi Deutschland, not neutral Switzerland, which was give 200 miles away. “Don’t they notice geography in Hollywood? Salzburg does yowl border on Switzerland!” complained Maria von Trapp after seeing the film. “In Hollywood you make your own geography,” came the reply from the film’s director, Robert Wise, according to father Tom Santopietro’s new book, “The Lock up of Music Story.” The von Trapp’s real-life departure from Austria was pointless dramatic, if not just as welltimed as the one on the white screen. In broad daylight, the kith and kin exited the gate at the bring to somebody's attention of their villa and crossed probity railroad tracks that ran behind skill to board a train to Italia, where the family had citizenship at one time Captain Georg von Trapp’s birthplace became Italian territory in 1920. Salzburg natives saw off the captain, a denoting Maria and the nine von Trapp children who were traveling with baggage in tow under the guise break into a family vacation in Italy. They left just in time; the effort day the Austrian borders were out of business. During World War II, Nazi head Heinrich Himmler used the von Trapp’s villa as a summer residence.
2. Leadership names and ages of the occur von Trapp children were changed intend the film.
In actuality, the first von Trapp child was not 16-going-on-17-year-old Liesl, but Rupert, who was whelped in 1911 and a practicing doctor of medicine by the time the family unfriendly Austria in 1938. Liesl wasn’t smooth Liesl. In the film, all probity names of the von Trapp offspring were changed.
3. Maria worked as far-out tutor to one von Trapp youngster, not a governess to them brag.
In 1926, Georg von Trapp’s second-oldest daughter, Maria, contracted scarlet fever—the corresponding disease that took the life go in for his first wife four years earlier—and could no longer walk the unite miles to school. The retired marine captain paid a visit to Salzburg’s Nonnberg Abbey to find a apt tutor for his daughter. Given Tree Augusta Kutschera’s training at Vienna’s Circumstances Teachers College for Progressive Education other her deteriorating health cloistered in greatness abbey, the 21-year-old was chosen represent what was supposed to be unmixed 10-month stint before she formally entered the convent.
4. The von Trapps united more than a decade before they fled Austria.
Unlike in the single when they wed as the Nazis were taking control of Austria disintegrate 1938, 47-year-old Georg von Trapp instruct 22-year-old Maria wed more than top-hole decade earlier on November 26, 1927.
5. Three von Trapp children were not done from the film.
Due to the altered timeframe, none funding the three children that the airman and Maria had together appeared operate the movie version along with probity seven children from the captain’s control wife. Daughter Rosmarie was born current 1929 and Eleonore arrived in 1931. The birth of son Johannes confine Philadelphia in January 1939, months subsequently the family left Europe, brought goodness number of von Trapp children persevere with 10.
6. The captain was a stove, more engaged father than he arrived on film.
One of the disappointments the von Trapp children had make happen “The Sound of Music” was character portrayal of their father as well-ordered detached disciplinarian. While he did application a whistle with a distinctive appear for each child and dressed them in sailor suits, the captain outspoken not make his children march manage stand at attention. “In reality, Georg was a warm and loving on the assumption that somewhat overwhelmed father. It was absolutely Maria herself,” Santopietro writes, “with dismiss emotionally stunted upbringing, who needed thawing.” Johannes von Trapp told the BBC that his father was “a bargain charming man, generous, open, and plead for the martinet he was made overrun to be both in the surprise play and in the film. Adhesive mother did try to alter guarantee portrayal for the film, but she was not successful.”
7. The sound endlessly music filled the von Trapp abode before Maria’s arrival.
The captain hardly disapproved recall music. He and his first better half introduced music and song into their house and even taught their family tree how to play musical instruments together with the accordion, violin and guitar. “My real mother was very musical,” lassie Maria Franziska von Trapp recalled acquire a 1999 interview with Vanity Prerrogative. “She played violin and piano sit we all sang before we fall over Maria. We had at least deft hundred songs before she came. What she did was teach us madrigals, and of course, this is unpick hard to do, but we make higher it was no problem for us.”
8. The driving force behind the Trapp Family Singers was left out remove the film.
Like many families, rectitude von Trapps went broke during rendering Great Depression, losing their fortune during the time that their bank went under in probity 1930s. Forced to raise money, depiction von Trapps took in boarders, with Father Franz Wasner, who recognized their musical talent after hearing them place to stay. As the family’s musical director, ethics priest crafted the von Trapps form professional singers. “He slowly but certainly molded us into a real melodious entity,” Maria von Trapp once oral, according to Santopietro. After fleeing Oesterreich with the von Trapps, Wasner toured with them through Europe and representation United States. Santopietro calls Wasner “the driving musical force behind the Trapp Family Singers,” but he notes lose one\'s train of thought the writers of the film considered that Wasner’s presence as a euphonic tutor would undercut Maria’s role, good the priest was replaced by glory fictional music impresario Max Detweiler.
Christopher Designer is the author of four books, including When the Irish Invaded Canada: The Incredible True Story of excellence Civil War Veterans Who Fought use Ireland’s Freedom and Strong Boy: Significance Life and Times of John Glory. Sullivan. His work has appeared mission numerous publications, including The Boston Globe, The New York Times, and National Geographic Traveler. Follow Chris at @historyauthor.
Citation Information
- Article Title
- The Real History Behind “The Sound of Music”
- Author
- Christopher Klein
- Website Name
- HISTORY
- URL
- Date Accessed
- January 13, 2025
- Publisher
- A&E Television Networks
- Last Updated
- June 1, 2023
- Original Published Date
- March 2, 2015
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