Maria F. von Trapp
Encyclopedia
Maria Agatha Franziska Gobertina von Trapp (born on 28 September 1914 in Austria) is the second-oldest daughter of Georg Ludwig von Trapp and Agatha Whitehead von Trapp. She was a member of the Trapp Family Singers, whose lives were the inspiration for the musical play The Sound of Music
. She was portrayed as the character "Louisa." She is the last surviving sibling portrayed in the film.
, she was part of the world-renowned Trapp Family Singers, who inspired the 1959 Broadway
musical and the 1965 Academy Award-winning Best Picture The Sound of Music
. Von Trapp sang second soprano in the choir, together with her sister Martina von Trapp
.
The von Trapps fled Austria after the German annexation of Austria
, fearing reprisals resulting from declining to sing at Hitler's birthday party and Georg von Trapp's refusal to accept a commission in the German Navy
. They came to the United States in 1938, settled in Vermont in 1942, and performed throughout the country. Baron von Trapp died in 1947. The family continued to tour and concertize until 1955, at which time Maria von Trapp and her mother became lay missionaries in Papua
, New Guinea
. She became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1948 and now lives on her family's lodge in Stowe, Vermont
.
From July 22 to July 27, 2008, she visited her childhood home in Salzburg/Aigen and her birthplace in Zell-am-See. Accompanying her were her half-brother Johannes and her sister-in-law Erika (Werner
's widow). During their visit, the group met with Ernst Florian Winter
, the husband of her sister Johanna von Trapp
(1919–1994).
She is the only survivor of the seven original von Trapp children. Three half-siblings, Rosemarie von Trapp (born 1929), Eleonore von Trapp (born 1931), and Johannes von Trapp
(born 1939), are also alive, but they were not featured in The Sound of Music.
The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music is a musical by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers...
. She was portrayed as the character "Louisa." She is the last surviving sibling portrayed in the film.
Biography
Along with her six siblings, father, and stepmother, Maria Augusta von TrappMaria von Trapp
Maria Augusta von Trapp , also known as Baroness Maria von Trapp, was the stepmother and matriarch of the Trapp Family Singers...
, she was part of the world-renowned Trapp Family Singers, who inspired the 1959 Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
musical and the 1965 Academy Award-winning Best Picture The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music (film)
Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music is a 1965 American musical film directed by Robert Wise and starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. The film is based on the Broadway musical The Sound of Music, with songs written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, and with the musical...
. Von Trapp sang second soprano in the choir, together with her sister Martina von Trapp
Martina von Trapp
Martina von Trapp was a member of the Trapp Family Singers and was the seventh child of Georg Ludwig von Trapp and his first wife, Agathe Whitehead. She was a member of the Trapp Family Singers, whose lives were the inspiration for the play and movie The Sound of Music...
.
The von Trapps fled Austria after the German annexation of Austria
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
, fearing reprisals resulting from declining to sing at Hitler's birthday party and Georg von Trapp's refusal to accept a commission in the German Navy
German Navy
The German Navy is the navy of Germany and is part of the unified Bundeswehr .The German Navy traces its roots back to the Imperial Fleet of the revolutionary era of 1848 – 52 and more directly to the Prussian Navy, which later evolved into the Northern German Federal Navy...
. They came to the United States in 1938, settled in Vermont in 1942, and performed throughout the country. Baron von Trapp died in 1947. The family continued to tour and concertize until 1955, at which time Maria von Trapp and her mother became lay missionaries in Papua
Papua (Indonesian province)
Papua comprises most of the western half of the island of New Guinea and nearby islands. Its capital is Jayapura. It's the largest and easternmost province of Indonesia. The province originally covered the entire western half of New Guinea...
, New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
. She became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1948 and now lives on her family's lodge in Stowe, Vermont
Stowe, Vermont
Stowe is a town in Lamoille County, Vermont, United States. The population was 4,339 at the 2000 census. Tourism is a significant industry.-Geography:...
.
From July 22 to July 27, 2008, she visited her childhood home in Salzburg/Aigen and her birthplace in Zell-am-See. Accompanying her were her half-brother Johannes and her sister-in-law Erika (Werner
Werner von Trapp
Werner Ritter von Trapp was the second-oldest son of Georg Ritter von Trapp and Agathe Whitehead. He was a member of the Trapp Family Singers, whose lives were the inspiration for the play and movie The Sound of Music...
's widow). During their visit, the group met with Ernst Florian Winter
Ernst Florian Winter
Ernst Florian Winter is an Austrian-American historian and political scientist, first director of the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna after World War II and chairman of the International Council of the Austrian Service Abroad....
, the husband of her sister Johanna von Trapp
Johanna von Trapp
Johanna Karolina von Trapp was the sixth child of Georg Ludwig von Trapp and his first wife Agathe Whitehead . She was a member of the Trapp Family Singers, whose lives were the inspiration for the play and film The Sound of Music. She was portrayed as the character "Marta".-Early life:Johanna was...
(1919–1994).
She is the only survivor of the seven original von Trapp children. Three half-siblings, Rosemarie von Trapp (born 1929), Eleonore von Trapp (born 1931), and Johannes von Trapp
Johannes von Trapp
Johannes von Trapp is a former member of the Trapp Family Singers, whose lives were the inspiration for the play and movie The Sound of Music...
(born 1939), are also alive, but they were not featured in The Sound of Music.