Why did the Van Trapps (from "The Sound of Music") oppose the Nazis?

Question

It's not exactly addressed in the movie except for that the father was proud of being Austrian. What I'm asking is why were the Van Trapps so opposed to the Third Reich?

Let me also point out I'm not asking why you oppose Nazism, I want to know the Van Trapps reasons -- because to my knowledge most Austrians enthusiastically worked with the Nazis, so considering the historical context it is a bit unusual that a non-Jewish family would leave everything they had escaping through the mountains.

Answer 1

Actually The Sound Of Music was not in most instances a true story. About the only things real in the musical were the family name, where they were from and that the father married the childrens nanny. They were not a fan of the nazi regime that is true but they weren't as opposed to it as the musical/movie made it out to be. There was no Baroness as there is in the movie for instance. His first wife was rich and after she died the family lived off that wealth until they lost most everything in a depression. Maria did come from a convent and married him 4 years after arriving to care for the children. It was true that he didn't like for the family to sing for money but after they left Austria around the time of Hitlers annexation maybe even a little before and ended up in the US he found that they had no choice but to make money some way so they could all live together. Maria was a tyrant who even later had one of her children lobotomized so she wouldn't leave the family (of course the child never sang again afterwards). She was what is now called a control freak and didn't want the children to associate with other kids fearing that they'd leave the singing group. Of course that was not put into the movie either. They also never escaped over the mountains like was portrayed in the movie. Also one last note he was asked to join the Nazis Naval Department but refused and unlike the movie/musical nothing bad came out of his refusal. In the movie he was ordered to go to a naval station. That actually never happened. It's a great movie one of my favorites but as for being historically accurate it rates about a 2.5 on a scale from 1-10. Coach T is right about many things except that Maria was not all that devoted to her husband. She married him because she was devoted to the children. Only later, just before he died, did she grow to love him more.

Answer 2

THE SOUND OF MUSIC is a wonderful movie of all time! The German Nazis were believing to be the Superior Race on the Earth. They relied upon their military power only. The greatness of a race depends upon what they have achieved in the world that can be called as great in terms of human nature, spirit and emotion that were lacking with them then. The greatness of Austria was in their culture and music! That was why the Van Trapps opposed the Third Reich!

Answer 3

I'm not sure that the movie ever told us that Marie opposed the Nazis or not. I suspect she was devoted to her husband and did what he was motivated to do. I don't know this though.

I suspect the children opposed the regime because it would take their father away to war. Though one did observe that "everyone is so angry" with regard to the "spider flag"

Capt. von Trapp was a dedicated nationalist. Austria as a country had been simply absorbed (under threat of force) by Hitler's regime. The movie makes him out to be younger than he was at the time of WWII. The Capt. had been a submarine commander in the Austrian Navy of WWI and was Knighted (Maria Theresa) for his service. He was quite the Austrian war hero.

At the end of WWI, Austria lost her coast and was reduced in size. He wasn't so happy about the loss of part of his country then and he was very unhappy about the annexation by Germany leading into WWII. Many Austrians shared that feeling while others felt that annexation by Germany would help them regain what they lost after WWI.

Imagine if the country next to your decided that you were now part of their country. Say if Mexico decided the USA was now part of Mexico and had the power to make that happen. Many Americans wouldn't care as long as Mexico promised things would be "normal" but most Americans wouldn't tolerate such a condition.

I'm inclined to think that we Americans would stay here and fight but we can't know unless we face that decision. Capt. von Trapp decided that it would be better for him and his family to come to America.

They left Austria by train (not by foot) to Italy (not Switzerland) in 1938 and came to America. I believe I've read that he never returned to Austria again. When Maria died in 87 there were 29 grandchildren.

Answer 4

I'm sorry this is so long, but the whole article is much longer an worth a read.
By the way, the family name is von Trapp and not van Trapp.

Movie vs. Reality:
The Real Story of the von Trapp Family
By Joan Gearin

1. Maria and Georg married in 1927, 11 years before the family left Austria, not right before the Nazi takeover of Austria.

2. Maria did not marry Georg von Trapp because she was in love with him. As she said in her autobiography Maria, she fell in love with the children at first sight, not their father.

3. The family did not secretly escape over the Alps to freedom in Switzerland, carrying their suitcases and musical instruments. As daughter Maria said in a 2003 interview printed in Opera News, "We did tell people that we were going to America to sing. And we did not climb over mountains with all our heavy suitcases and instruments. We left by train, pretending nothing." The von Trapps traveled to Italy, not Switzerland.

4. There were 10, not 7 von Trapp children.
The names, ages, and sexes of the children were changed.

5. The family was musically inclined before Maria arrived,. Georg, far from being the detached, cold-blooded patriarch of the family who disapproved of music.

6. Instead of the fictional Max Detweiler, pushy music promoter, the von Trapps' priest, the Reverend Franz Wasner, acted as their musical director for over 20 years.

7. When the Nazis annexed Austria in 1938, the von Trapps realized that they were on thin ice with a regime they abhorred. Georg not only refused to fly the Nazi flag on their house, but he also declined a naval command and a request to sing at Hitler's birthday party.
They were also becoming aware of the Nazis' anti-religious propaganda and policies, the pervasive fear that those around them could be acting as spies for the Nazis, and the brainwashing of children against their parents.
They weighed staying in Austria and taking advantage of the enticements the Nazis were offering—greater fame as a singing group, a medical doctor's position for Rupert, and a renewed naval career for Georg—against leaving behind everything they knew—their friends, family, estate, and all their possessions.
They decided that they could not compromise their principles and left.

Answer 5

My take is that it was not 'most' Austrians who supported the Anschluss - Nazi takeover. It was not most Norwegians nor most Czechs nor most Danes either. Those were days when the bullies with bullets were in charge. No one was strong enough to oppose. Those who felt most strongly would try to leave. That's my take on the von Trapps, but this is just a gut feeling based on my sense of the history of the time rather than the movie. I hope you will get answers with more solid evidence than this.

Answer 6

Because the father von trapp (Sorry cant remember his full name) saw the fanaticism of the nazis. In his mind it was one thing to fight for your country but another to be led along blindly by a fanatic full of hate. He could see where it would lead and that the consequences would be bad for austria. It does come out in the movie but you have to pay attention to what he says and how he acts.

Answer 7

I assumed he opposed them because he did not believe in them.

The original story of the Van Trapp family has been alter greatly from the origianl story of them.

Answer 8

The Von Trapps was a rich family, and so the Nazis found that they really should persuade them to join their legion since they could contribute so much having that much power. But the Von Trapps refused to join, and since Adolf Hitler is quite brutal and will probably kill anyone on his path, he ordered his men to find them and probably will do horrible thing to make them join or will jsut probably kill them.

Answer 9

Actually, the German word 'Vaterland' MEANS 'Homeland'; not "Father Land" as many Americans believe. But the sound of the terms is insignificant beside the valid comparisons that can be made, and is not inherently relevant.

Answer 10

Have you SEEN the movie? Watch it. It is well worth the time. One of the best musicals ever written. Afterwards, I believe you will know the answer to your own question.