Frederick S. Litten: Notes on the Trapp Family in Austria – From Maria's grandparents to summer 1939

Frederick S. Litten

NEW

Notes on the Trapp Family in Austria

From Maria's grandparents to summer 1939

Norderstedt: Books on Demand, 2023. xi, 319 p. ISBN: 978-3-7528-3507-6.
€ 29,- (fixed price in Germany)

Available at the BoD Shop (free shipping to many European countries possible) and from other online shops (e.g., amazon.com).
(However, the publisher may still have problems to print and deliver copies outside the United States.)

brief description

This study examines the real Trapp family in Austria until 1939. Using scores of contemporaneous sources, this fully referenced book introduces Maria (von) Trapp's own, hitherto unknown, family: the Kutscheras, the Reiners (Rainers), and her foster family, the Kramers. Moreover, the first chapter critically analyzes Maria's tales about her childhood and youth up to her wedding with Georg (von) Trapp in 1927.
The second chapter covers Georg, his family, his activities in war and business, as well as the family choir started in 1934. Several misconceptions, from Georg having been a baron to his alleged anti-fascism, get corrected here, too.
The third chapter overturns the central myth of the Trapp family story: there is no evidence that the Trapps ever received offers by the Nazis, or resisted them; on the contrary, Georg unsuccessfully tried to solicit business in Germany. Nor were the Trapps in danger of persecution, or "escaped" from Austria.
Filled with details as well as context—and based on a very broad range of sources and literature—these three "notes" present a history of the Trapp family different from and much more reliable than anything available up to now, including the family members' memoirs.
(But please note that this book is not about the adaptations of the family's stories, such as "The Sound of Music", nor does it contain illustrations.)

Table of Contents

Preface v

0 Introduction 1

1 Maria – from her grandparents to her wedding 7

1.1 Maria's ancestors, paternal line 7

1.1.1 Josef Kutschera, Maria's paternal grandfather 7

1.1.2 Anna Rittner, Maria's paternal grandmother 12

1.1.3 Josef, Anna, and family – 1852 to 1867 13

1.1.4 Anna and family – 1869 to 1887 16

1.1.5 Karl Kutschera and Clara, née Reiner – 1887 to 1888 19

1.1.6 Jacques, Anna, and Maria Deininger – 1891 to 1902 23

1.1.7 Karl again – 1903 25

1.2 Maria's ancestors, maternal line 28

1.2.1 Katharina Hatzmann, Maria's maternal grandmother 28

1.2.2 Karl Reiner and his ancestors 30

1.2.3 Katharina Hatzmann – 1870 to 1873 38

1.2.4 Karl Reiner's ancestors, once more 39

1.2.5 Karl and Katharina Reiner and their daughters – 1873 to 1903 44

1.3 Maria – 1905 to 1915 48

1.3.1 Karl Kutschera and Augusta Reiner – 1903 48

1.3.2 Maria Reiner and Franz Mayer – 1904 49

1.3.3 Maria's birth – 1905 50

1.3.4 Digression: Maria and Tyrol 54

1.3.5 Augusta's death and the family – 1905 to 1906 56

1.3.6 The Kramer-Kutschera connection 59

1.3.7 The Kramer family 60

1.3.8 Maria's childhood and the Kramers – 1906 to 1914 64

1.3.9 Maria and her father – 1906 to 1915 68

1.4 Maria – 1916 to 1927 74

1.4.1 "Uncle Franz" and school – 1916 to 1919 74

1.4.2 Farewell to the Kramers and to Karl Kutschera jr. 77

1.4.3 Becoming a teacher – 1919 to 1924 80

1.4.4 And becoming religious again? – 19XX to 1924 86

1.4.5 Coming to Salzburg and Nonnberg Abbey school – 1924 to 1925 91

1.4.6 From Nonnberg to the Trapps – 1926 to 1927 97

1.5 Maria – the streamlined version 105

2 The Trapp family until early 1938 119

2.1 Family 119

2.2 War 127

2.3 Citizenship and titles 132

2.4 Business and finance 137

2.5 Music 145

2.6 Father Franz Wasner 154

2.7 Politics and patriotism 157

2.8 Summary: The Trapps until early 1938 165

3 The Trapps and Austria/Germany in 1938/1939 175

3.1 March to September 1938 – Maria's recollections 176

3.2 March to October 1938 – other family recollections 181

3.3 Analysis 187

3.3.1 The "flag incident" 187

3.3.2 The visit to Munich 188

3.3.3 The Vienna "invitation" to Rupert 190

3.3.4 The German Navy's "invitation" to Georg 194

3.3.5 Singing for Hitler? – The Trapps and Germany 198

3.3.6 Leaving "Austria" in 1938 211

3.4 Digression: The Villa Trapp – 1938 to 1948 219

3.5 1939: USA – "Austria" – USA 223

3.6 Synthesis 232

4 Afterword 239

References 241

Home (English) Biographical and contact data Home (Deutsch) publications

F. Litten

	Table of Contents
	Preface	v
0	Introduction	1
1	Maria – from her grandparents to her wedding	7
1.1	Maria's ancestors, paternal line	7
1.1.1	Josef Kutschera, Maria's paternal grandfather	7
1.1.2	Anna Rittner, Maria's paternal grandmother	12
1.1.3	Josef, Anna, and family – 1852 to 1867	13
1.1.4	Anna and family – 1869 to 1887	16
1.1.5	Karl Kutschera and Clara, née Reiner – 1887 to 1888	19
1.1.6	Jacques, Anna, and Maria Deininger – 1891 to 1902	23
1.1.7	Karl again – 1903	25
1.2	Maria's ancestors, maternal line	28
1.2.1	Katharina Hatzmann, Maria's maternal grandmother	28
1.2.2	Karl Reiner and his ancestors	30
1.2.3	Katharina Hatzmann – 1870 to 1873	38
1.2.4	Karl Reiner's ancestors, once more	39
1.2.5	Karl and Katharina Reiner and their daughters – 1873 to 1903	44
1.3	Maria – 1905 to 1915	48
1.3.1	Karl Kutschera and Augusta Reiner – 1903	48
1.3.2	Maria Reiner and Franz Mayer – 1904	49
1.3.3	Maria's birth – 1905	50
1.3.4	Digression: Maria and Tyrol	54
1.3.5	Augusta's death and the family – 1905 to 1906	56
1.3.6	The Kramer-Kutschera connection	59
1.3.7	The Kramer family	60
1.3.8	Maria's childhood and the Kramers – 1906 to 1914	64
1.3.9	Maria and her father – 1906 to 1915	68
1.4	Maria – 1916 to 1927	74
1.4.1	"Uncle Franz" and school – 1916 to 1919	74
1.4.2	Farewell to the Kramers and to Karl Kutschera jr.	77
1.4.3	Becoming a teacher – 1919 to 1924	80
1.4.4	And becoming religious again? – 19XX to 1924	86
1.4.5	Coming to Salzburg and Nonnberg Abbey school – 1924 to 1925	91
1.4.6	From Nonnberg to the Trapps – 1926 to 1927	97
1.5	Maria – the streamlined version	105
2	The Trapp family until early 1938	119
2.1	Family	119
2.2	War	127
2.3	Citizenship and titles	132
2.4	Business and finance	137
2.5	Music	145
2.6	Father Franz Wasner	154
2.7	Politics and patriotism	157
2.8	Summary: The Trapps until early 1938	165
3	The Trapps and Austria/Germany in 1938/1939	175
3.1	March to September 1938 – Maria's recollections	176
3.2	March to October 1938 – other family recollections	181
3.3	Analysis	187
3.3.1	The "flag incident"	187
3.3.2	The visit to Munich	188
3.3.3	The Vienna "invitation" to Rupert	190
3.3.4	The German Navy's "invitation" to Georg	194
3.3.5	Singing for Hitler? – The Trapps and Germany	198
3.3.6	Leaving "Austria" in 1938	211
3.4	Digression: The Villa Trapp – 1938 to 1948	219
3.5	1939: USA – "Austria" – USA	223
3.6	Synthesis	232
4	Afterword	239
	References	241