The funny thing about Sound of Music is that most Austrians and Germans have never heard of it. It seems to be a uniquely American pre-occupation...
There was a German film of their story that did well in there. That was what the Broadway musical was based on. Some scenes are close to identical. When the film was released in Austria they actually cut out the last 35 minutes. So it ended with the wedding. The German censors didn’t think their audiences wanted to be reminded of the Anchluss.
Very true. They do not show it in Germanic Europe. At least most didn’t know it when I was there.
That's because the whole story is a Hollywood creation. There was no escape over the Alps. The real family took a train to Italy and a boat to America. Nothing dramatic about it at all.
Well they do milk it if you visit Salzburg. They have two bus companies doing Sound of Music tours. I went on one and it was pretty good although the guide I think was a left over Nazi.