Posted on 02/22/2014 3:32:40 PM PST by Borges
Maria von Trapp, whose family's story was told in The Sound of Music, has died.
She was the last surviving member of the musical family of seven brothers and sisters and passed away in her sleep at home in Vermont at the age of 99 on Tuesday, PEOPLE confirms.
Von Trapp, who was the second-eldest daughter, and her family fled their home in Austria to escape from the Nazis in the 1930s and eventually ended up in the U.S., where their story inspired a Rodgers & Hammerstein musical and the popular 1965 movie starring Julie Andrews.
(Excerpt) Read more at people.com ...
RIP, Maria.
The hills are alive, with the sound of music...
Godspeed, Maria von Trapp.
Back in the late 80s, I went to Stowe, Vermont to attend a professional conference. I did some sight seeing while there - it was summer. I came across a “Ski Resort” that was started by the Von Trapp family. I had seen the movie, but until that time, I didn’t know they landed in the U.S. and Vermont. A very interesting story, but not at all as the movie portrayed.
Remember, folks, she isn’t THAT Maria von Trapp. This is one of the children (whose names were changed for the play and film). RIP.
Maria may have been the last remaining child of the marriage between Georg Johannes von Trapp and his first wife, Agatha Whitehead von Trapp.
However, Captain Georg and postulant Maria had three children after marrying, and of these, at least Johannes von Trapp (born 1939) appears to be alive.
Rest in Peace Maria.
They should do a modern version of that movie: A family tries to escape the Marxist doctrines of a Kenyan tyrant.
That Maria died in 1987.
According to Wikipedia, all three children of the second marriage are still alive.
Kind of a blessing, in a way...
If I heard “Doe, a deer, a female deer...” one more time I’d be ready to climb a clock tower somewhere with a bunch of water balloons full of coyote urine...
RIP, Maria.
An amazing family .. RIP Maria .. your story will live on for years and years to come.
It’s a brilliant song.
Interesting you should mention that. From the Wiki page for Maria Von Trapp (the "Maria" of the movie):
"They experienced life under the Nazis after the annexation of Austria by Germany in March 1938. Life became increasingly difficult as they witnessed hostility towards Jewish children by their classmates, the use of children against their parents, the advocacy of abortion by both Maria's doctor and by her son's school, and finally by the induction of Georg into the German Navy.
That was very nice to watch...thanks for posting!
RIP young Maria.
“It’s a brilliant song.”
Agreed and I love, love, love how they did it in the movie with the kids hopping up and down on those big steps.
It IS brilliant.
I once saw a film of Master Class in Songwriting with Richard Rogers. He explained how he used the lyrics to determine the intervals and rhythms of a song. I have NEVER forgotten it. That 20 minute session changed the way I compose music.
Actually, Georg was not inducted into the German Navy. He had been an Austrian Naval hero who was one of the earliest submarine commanders ever. He had been offered a commission by the Nazis and turned it down...then they got out because as Maria said “Saying no to Hitler 3 times was dangerous.” The family had also been invited to sing for Hitler’s birthday, as well as incident with their newly made doctor son. The son had just graduated medical school and was offered a fine position, but he intimated they expected him to preform acts which he was unwilling to do. i.e. abortions. So he also turned that post down. As for those of you wondering about an “Austrian Navy” bear in mind the old Austro-Hungarian empire was much larger than the present day borders of Austria. It included the sea coast of what because Yugoslavia. Interesting story in the book “The Trapp Family Singers” of how when Maria first became pregnant they travelled to a Munich specialist re: her pregnancy (who advised her to abort the baby she was carrying, i.e. Johannes, later born in the US in 1939) - that was about the time her husband was offered the commision and the other 2 incidents ... they decided to see the new “House of German Art” which was close by. God awful stuff, but Maria, smelled food, and it turns out they had a cafe, which was unheard of at the time in an art museum. They went and were seated. And noticed no one was smoking — very unusual for the time. When they asked their waiter what was going on, he pointed out that very close by was Hitler and a rather raucous party. She got to observe him relatively close up, and she and Georg decided he was extremely vulgar, with bad table manners and he laughed at his own jokes, and his adoring entourage was expected to roar with laughter at what he said.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.