[21], After touring the United States singing as the von Trapp family Choir, Agathe returned to Europe [4] when her and her family’s visas were expired. As a free port, many an entrepreneur had been attracted to this location. The incalculable loss, of her loving strength and spirit, descended on Georg. By the time Georg graduated Cadet 2. The Factory provided many jobs to the local population. There was no danger in these refusals, as border rearrangements that had been made after World War I made Agathe and her family Italian citizens[4] and Germans could not arrest Italians at that time. Ships of all kinds plying the waters would have been a familiar sight. Georg Ludwig Ritter von Trapp (4 April 1880 – 30 May 1947) was an Austro-Hungarian naval officer who later acquired U.S. citizenship and the patriarch of the Trapp Family Singers, whose lives were the inspiration for the musical play and movie The Sound of … Front row: Baroness Johanna von Trapp, baby Baroness Martina von Trapp, Baroness Hedwig von Trapp, and Baron Werner von Trapp, Back row: Baron Rupert von Trapp, Baroness Maria von Trapp, and Baroness Agathe von Trapp. Valor and honor were stressed and expected of a future naval officer. New nationalities and nations were established from territories that used to belong to the Empire, such was the case for the Adriatic Coast. Across the street from the coastal factory complex was the Villa Whitehead, in front of which family members were assembled to warmingly welcome the Kaiser. They did a Scandinavian tour there and received standing ovations and glowing reports. Hedwig went on to raise them as a single mother; she never remarried, the future and welfare of her children was her paramount focus. Writing and performing plays was a favorite. Agathe Whitehead von Trapp, Br. After the passing of Georg's father, for a short period of time, Hedwig and the children moved to Eisenach, Duchy of Hesse (today Germany), where her family lived, for support and a place to plan the future. During this time three healthy children, Maria (September 1914), Werner (October 1915), and Hedwig (July 1917) were born to Georg and Agathe. [2] She was the eldest daughter[2] and the second of ten children[3] born to Georg von Trapp. She sang around the house until she was about 94 years old. The Austro-Hungarian Naval activities around Fiume increased during the early 1900s. In and around Pola and Fiume, evacuations of all non-military personnel was ordered. In short order, the Austro-Hungarian Empire declared war and well-ordered lives were disrupted everywhere across Europe. [27] Agathe continued to be busy in retirement. From 1898-1901, he circumnavigated the world twice, once in a wooden sailing vessel, the SMS Saida II and the second time in the iron preventive torpedo cruiser, the SMS Zenta. She was a niece of St John Brodrick, 1st Earl of Midleton (he was her aunt Hilda's brother) and a granddaughter of Robert Whitehead, who invented the modern torpedo. She spoke English, Italian, and German fluently, loved to hike, sail, garden, knit, and sew. Vier Jahre zuvor ist Baron Georg von Trapps Frau Agathe, geborene Whitehead gestorben. By 1866, he received royal commendation when his new steam-powered engine, installed in the flagship Erzherzog Ferdinand Max, was instrumental in giving the Austro-Hungarian fleet an edge in winning the famous sea battle at Lissa. He was sent to Fiume (today Rijeka, Croatia) where the Whitehead Torpedo Factory was building two Holland-class submarine U-boats: SM U-5 and SM U-6. His life was to change in a wonderful way on that day. At the time he was married, Georg was Commander of SM U-6, training submarine crews. Blond haired and blue eyed, she was the first daughter and third child of Countess Agathe Gobertina von Breunner (1856-1945), Austro-Hungarian nobility, and Cavaliere (Knight) John Whitehead (1854-1902), son of Baron Robert Whitehead (1823-1905) and a Partner at the family's Fiume Whitehead Torpedo Factory. Agathe too had noticed the handsome naval officer and soon discovered their feelings were mutual. [26] Unlike some of her siblings, Agathe sang with the von Trapp Family Singers until they sang their last concert on 26 January 1956. Since her mother was an accomplished pianist, evenings were often spent making music together. By then, Georg had grown into, what his fellow naval officers described as, a "'Gentlemen's gentleman', warm with a fun sense of humor and a profound sense of being honorable". The household included a large staff. [24] At his request, the family changed their stage name to The Trapp Family Singers. First wife of Captain George Ritter von Trapp and mother of the first seven von Trapp children. Left to right: Baroness Agathe von Trapp, Baron Werner von Trapp, baby Baroness Hedwig von Trapp, Baroness Agathe Whitehead von Trapp, Baroness Maria von Trapp, Baron Rupert von Trapp, and Baron Captain Georg von Trapp. Georg and Agathe’s send-off into their life together was a chorus of “hurrahs”. Leaving the countryside held its risks. Running the entire estate and staff efficiently, was again under her charge. Agathe visited wives of Naval personnel living in the area and made sure her children’s lives continued as normal as possible. Rijeka, Općina Rijeka, Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Croatia. Agathe never fully recovered. In the evenings, Agathe sang with her family. Georg Johannes Ritter von Trapp (4 April 1880 – 30 May 1947) was born in Zara, Kingdom of Dalmatia, then a Crown Land of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (present-day Zadar, Croatia). The final curtain call came on November 1, 1918. In anticipation of relocating to Klosterneuburg near Vienna, Agathe went back to Pola to pack up their household. Trapp war hochdekorierter Kommandant der U-Boot-Staffel, seine Frau die Tochter des Torpedo-Erfinders und Produzenten John Whitehead. The family found their respective countries on opposing sides. At the same time, Agathe's family and friends described her as, "intelligent and quietly capable, warm and loving with a great wit". Seine Frau erkrankte an Scharlachfieber und verstarb am 3. Managing the food shortages and hardships that had befallen all in the Empire became the new norm. U 5 und U 12 auf österreichischer Medaille 1915 des Kriegsfürsorgeamtes. Heirat Ehepartner Kinder; 1948: Erika KLAMBAUER: Der Einsender hat festgelegt, dass für diese Datenbank keine Quellenangaben angezeigt werden sollen. Agathe's father, John, and grandfather, Robert, were both British Engineers and key historical figures in world naval history. The Whiteheads, as British citizens, were considered enemy combatants, not permitted to leave the country. She and friend Mary Louise Kane ran a kindergarten at the Sacred Heart Catholic parish in Glyndon, Md., until 1993. Zu Beginn des Ersten Weltkrieges befehligte Georg das Torpedoboot 52. Learning an instrument was compulsory - he learned to play the violin. The Whitehead and Bruenner families had known the imperial family for many years. For this, he was honored with the Austro-Hungarian Empire’s Knight's Cross and Baron title of the Military Order of Maria Theresa. Having recently been born, baby Agathe and her mother observed the ceremony of the Kaiser's arrival from an upstairs bedroom. At the celebratory ball that evening, Georg became enchanted with Agathe. Agathe's father decided not to accept the offer of a place in Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine. She started writing the book in the 1980s by traveling to Europe to research family history, sketch maps, and collect photographs. [13] While they did this just for enjoyment at first, their hobby turned into a career for the von Trapps after much of their money was lost in the global depression that followed the 1929 Wall Street Crash. It was, therefore, an unforeseen tragedy, that on June 7, 1884, Captain August von Trapp succumbed to typhoid fever at the young age of forty-eight. She was one of seven children born to the aristocrat Captain Georg von Trapp and his wife, Agathe Whitehead, the granddaughter of Robert Whitehead, the … He and Agathe decided to opt for Austria and made their temporary new home close to the 'Erlhof' by Zell am See. 31. Between Captain Georg von Trapp & Agathe Gobertina Whitehead, parents to the first seven von Trapp children, set against the backdrop of the Adriatic Coast. Wherever the Kaiser's standard (imperial flag) appeared, the squadron offered a 101 cannon salute. Photo: Georg & Agathe, circa 1910, Photo: Courtesy of von Trapp family. Das ganze Haus steht im Schatten ihres Todes, wie sich gleich bei Marias erster Begegnung mit den Trapp-Kindern zeigt. [see 'Marriage & Family' below]. To temporarily escape sad memories and the hot summers in Fiume, Agathe’s mother took the children on a vacation to the ‘Zeller’ lake in Austria. [14], In 1937, after singing in Vienna twice, and singing at the 1937 Salzburg Festival, Agathe toured Europe going to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, England, and Norway with her family calling themselves the Salzburg Chamber Choir Trapp, or Chamber Choir Trapp. ​By 1908, Agathe had grown into a beautiful young woman with a kind and caring nature whose character brought lightheartedness and laughter wherever she went. All rights reserved. Georg and Agathe proceeded to pick up the pieces; decisions had to be made. [citation needed]Ritter is roughly the equivalent of a baronet in the U… The first seven of these were born to his first wife, Agatha Whitehead, while the youngest three: Rosmarie, Eleonore, and Johannes, half-siblings to the elder seven, were born to Georg's second wife, Maria Augusta Kutschera. [4] Agathe von Trapp spent her early years, throughout World War I and after, near Zell am See, Austria. Ms. von Trapp was the oldest daughter of Austrian naval Capt. In the end, they and their seven children were only given 33 months’ time together after WWI ended. Agathe applied for citizenship in 1944 [4], The Trapp Family Singers made two long tours of the United States each year, singing in all forty-eight states and Hawaii. Those who had heard them sing encouraged them to do more concerts. He left behind a loving wife, Countess Agathe von Breunner and six children John Jr. (13), Frank (12), Agathe (10), Robert (near 9), Mary (6), and Joan (2). Rosmarie said Agathe inspired her to join the Community of the Crucified One, a church group in Pennsylvania where she stayed for 25 years. Absolute Habsburg rule of almost 400 hundred years came to an end. [see 'Marriage & Family' below], Honoring the von Trapp ​and Whitehead Heritage​​​​, Villa WhiteheadFiume, Austro-Hungarian Empire (Today Rijeka, Croatia), Zara, Dalmatia, Adriatic Coast, circa 1890, Austro-Hungarian EmpireToday Zadar, Croatia, Klosterneuburg and Shipping Companies (1920-1930), CHAMPION THE ARTS      PROMOTE PEACE      ARCHIVE & EDUCATE, Legacy Project: Torpedo & Naval Museum, Peace & Innovation Research, and Peace Conference & Arts Performance Center. For seven months her severe case was treated. Agathewas born on July 18 1859, in Grafenegg, Krems-Land District, Niederosterreich, Austria. The von Trapps decided to sign a singing contract with Charles Wagner in the United States, leave Austria for Italy, and, from there, head to the United States via London. Agathehad 4 siblings: Edgar Thoreau Whiteheadand 3 other siblings. Reality: The Real Story of the von Trapp Family", "Agathe von Trapp, of Trapp Family Singers, dies", The Sound of Music: Music from the NBC Television Event, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Agathe_von_Trapp&oldid=976369642, Emigrants from Austria after the Anschluss, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 2 September 2020, at 15:29. However, in 1921 while still managing Vega-Reederei-Hamburg/Greiswald, Georg founded his second ship merchant enterprise, the Rhein-Donau-Express-Schiffahrt’s-A.G. For the next nine years Georg build up this successful and lucrative maritime business, capturing so much of the Rhein and Donau river shipping market that his fellow competitors eventually bought him out. On June 28, 1914, the tragic assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and his wife Sophie in Sarajevo brought this idyllic life to an abrupt end. A newly built Villa was awaiting them. Agathe von Trapp, Brs. Georg’s early years and adult life were spent on these beautiful stretches of coastline. [7] Agathe was tutored by a governess at home until age 11, when she started attending a local school. En Español Winter 2005, Vol. [25] She toured Canada, South America, Australia, Austria, New Zealand, the Fiji Islands, Hawaii, and Europe. Their family was … By early 1920, with the intent of providing seafaring jobs to former Austrian Navy personnel, Georg with two Partners founded Vega-Reederei-Hamburg/Greiswald. Das Paar bekam sieben Kinder, Rupert, Agathe, Maria Franziska, Werner, Hedwig, Johanna und 1921 kam Tochter Martina zur Welt. Here, their sixth child, Johanna (September 1919), was born. Klosterneuburg and Shipping Companies (1920-1930)The new year of 1919 heralded many changes. Their home town, Pola, had become Italian and Georg was on the war criminals ’wanted list’, for sinking Italian ships during WWI (even though he now held Italian citizenship). Georg Ritter von Trapp. Natural resources and food shortages persisted as parts of the Empire refused to send supplies of coal and grain. [8] Agathe was surrounded by music at an early age,[9] and her father began teaching her guitar when she was in her early teens. Christmas 1921, five children were isolated and being taken care of. September 1922 in Klosterneuburg, Niederösterreich) war die erste Frau von Georg Ludwig von Trapp. Gemeinsam hatten die beiden sieben Kinder. [29], Agathe Johanna Erwina Gobertina von Trapp, "So long, farewell: Von Trapp daughter dies, aged 97", "Agathe von Trapp: Eldest daughter of the family who inspired 'The Sound of Music, "Former Vermont resident Agathe von Trapp of 'Sound of Music' fame dies", "Movie vs. The Navy assigned Lieutenant Georg von Trapp to Fiume to study, first-hand, the design, and construction of their newly commissioned submarines and torpedos. Even a last trip, to stay with family in the Hungarian countryside, failed to strengthen her. Johnwas born on November 23 1854, in Fiume. As of 2018 Agathe Whitehead is 31 years (age at death) years old. Hier gebar sie ihre weiteren Kinder Maria Franziska (1914–2014), Werner (1915–2007), Hedwig (1917–1972) und Johanna (1919–1994). In 1913, Georg was relieved of submarine duty to get further training on ships in the naval fleet. She died of scarlet fever in 1922. They were devoted to Austria. She self-published the book with Publish America, LLLP in 2003 at age 91. Georg Ludwig von Trapp lernte Agathe Whitehead, Tochter des Torpedofabrikanten John Whitehead und Enkelin des Erfinders des Torpedos, Robert Whitehead, auf einem Ball kennen. Agathe arrived in the USA in October 1938. First Werner von Trapp fell in Galicia on the Russian front and then John Whitehead Jr., as pilot trainee, to a plane crash in Great Britain. [11], After graduating from High School, Agathe tutored briefly,[12] and then pursued her loves of painting, languages, and sewing. Slowly the interrupted life of the war years was being reclaimed. Agathe Johanna Erwina Gobertina von Trapp (12 March 1913 – 28 December 2010) was the eldest daughter of Agathe hingegen zog mit ihren Kindern zu ihrer Mutter auf den Erlhof nach Zell am See. 37, No. Georg Ritter von Trapp (born April 4, 1880), patriarch of the Trapp Family Singers, had 10 children, seven by his first wife, Agathe Whitehead von Trapp, whose father invented the … Georg (42), Rupert (near 11), Agathe (9), Maria (near 8), Werner (7), Hedwig (5), Johanna (near 3), and Martina (1 & 1/2) stayed a close family unit for the rest of their lives. Im Januar 1911 heiratete das Paar und zog in eine Villa in der Nähe von Pula in Kroatien. Upon hearing this, her mother invited Georg to the ‘Erlhof', the family's vacation home in inland Austria. Von Trapp was one of seven children born to Austrian naval Capt. Juni 1891 in Fiume, heute Rijeka in Kroatien; † 3. The diagnosis of a stomach tumor was the beginning of a two-year effort to save his life. Agathe Whitehead is a well known Relative. (AP) — Agathe von Trapp, a member of the musical family whose escape from Nazi-occupied Austria was the basis for "The Sound of Music," has died, a longtime friend said Wednesday. In and out of a private clinic in Vienna, John Whitehead lost his battle with cancer on April 9th, 1902. The torpedo factory staff and employees came out to cheer, give congratulatory speeches and present gifts. She had developed a wonderful sense of humor and felt comfortable in the three cultures she had grown up in, Italian, English, and Austrian. His parents, August and Hedwig, raised their children with a quiet, loving hand, bringing much warmth, and kind guidance into Georg’s formative years. Hedwig von Trapp, Brs. Seven days after returning home, September 3, 1922, her young life was cut short in the early hours of the morning. Agathe hingegen zog mit ihren Kindern zu ihrer Mutter auf den Erlhof nach Zell am See. The joyous celebration brought family from throughout Europe and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Agathe hingegen zog mit ihren Ki… © 2015-2020 Stichting Georg & Agathe Foundation.