The Sound of Music
Most American movie goers are familiar with Julie Andrews and her movieThe Sound of Music. When Rachael announced her plans to travel to Salzburg, no one immediately made the association to the movie or to the locale. Only after some research into Austria and in particular, Salzburg, did we realize where Rachael would be headed.
Salzburg, the tourist destination, has capitalized on The Sound Of Music. Tours are designed for visitors to glimpse settings of memorable movie moments. Tours include Mirabell Gardens, St. Peter's Cemetary and the Salzkammergut region around Salzburg. We opted not to take the tour rather relying on Rachael to point out some of the sights as we passed by. Rachael was of the opinion that not many Austrians bother with this tour. Foreign tourists believe that Edelweiss was some Austrian national anthem while in fact it was composed by Hollywood for the movie. Nevertheless, the shopping district peddles the flower in all forms and fashions, from beer steins to jewelry to evening wear.
The Von Trapp Family
Hitler invaded Austria in 1938. The Nazis conscripted the Austrians into the German Army, many against their wishes. Following World War II, the Americans maintained a presence in Austria until 1955 when Austria once again regained it's independence. The Austrians gravitated towards the Americans and away from the Russian occupation forces.
Captain Von Trapp was a naval officer who served on a submarine during World War I. This may be hard to fathom knowing that Austria is landlocked now. Von Trapp's service took place when Austria had a coast line under Emperor Franz Josef. Von Trapp's refusal to serve the Nazis was real. He resisted their requests to establish a submarine base in Bremerhaven. The family left Austria under the pretense of taking a hike in the mountains. They fled Austria through Switzerland and into Italy. The film shows the family fleeing Austria, however the direction they were heading would have taken them into Hitler's Germany.
Captain Von Trapp and his family fled Austria and finally settled in Vermont. The Von Trapp lodge continues in operation today. The Austrian ties to the US still exist. Other Austrians followed the Von Trapps to the US and to Vermont. Rachael's host mom, Gabrielle and host dad, Harold also have family in Vermont. An American niece from Vermont visited with her host family this past semester. Their niece had also attended Salzburg College. Her family operates a ski lodge in Killington, VT. The Austrians we met were genuinely friendly towards Americans, although Arnold's name and exploits bring mixed reactions!
