War is as old as mankind itself. Every century has had wars. Reasons for war are usually the same; a leader wants a bigger kingdom or an abhorrent event takes place.

Introductions

Sailing on the oceans of the world has always attracted men; it was a way to explore the world and visit faraway places. One such man was Georg, a young man of twenty-one. He had graduated from the naval academy with the rank of lieutenant. His reward was a four month long sail on a schooner. He had recently returned to the Austrio-Hungarian naval base in Pula Austria.

It was late afternoon and he was strolling on the beach when he spotted a young girl walking all alone a short distance ahead. His stride became longer and he caught up to her. And now as he walked backwards to see her face he spoke.

"Now what's a pretty girl like you doing walking all alone on the beach?"

"Getting the sand between my toes to calm my nerves."

"Why are you nervous?"

"My piano recital is tonight. Want to come?"

"You don't know me."

"Oh but I do. My father told me about the handsome lieutenant who visited his factory. You are Georg von Trapp."

"And your name, Miss?"

"Agathe Whitehead."

"Where do you live?"

"In that big house behind us. See you at six, Georg."

She ran on to the house and never saw his big smile.

Georg and Agathe courted for a full year before they married. At the end of the first year Agathe gave birth to a girl. They named her Liesl and sixteen months later Georg had a son they named Friedrich.

The couple's blissful three years of marriage was shattered when war began again after the Archduke of the Austrio-Hungarian Empire was assassinated.

As her husband went off to war, she and their two children were forced to leave the navy base where they had occupied a beautiful home. She would take the children to her mother's house for the duration of the war.

Georg soon discovered his passion. It was the underwater ships called submarines. And soon after taking command of one it was given a new weapon which Agathe's father had invented, a torpedo. It's often described as a weapon of destruction which snuck up on the enemy ship like a thief in the night.

The navy gave the crew of submarines frequent leave time. And nine months after one of Georg's month of leave time another baby girl was born; they named her Louisa. She was three months old when Georg was awarded the Knights Cross of the Military Order of Maria Theresa for his bravery.

Two more babies were born over the next years, another boy named Kurt and a girl named Brigitta.

Finally, the war which now had the name, The Great War, was over. But the treaty which was written was not kind to Austria. Despite the captain's heroic deeds Austria lost the war.

The navy base had been given to Italy; the captain was now without a navy. It had been his livelihood. He appreciated his mother-in-law's kindness; now he wished to find his wife and children a home of their own and to find a profession which suited him.

Agathe's brother offered a home he owned; it was on the outskirts of the city Vienna. Before they moved there another girl was born; her name was Marta. And Agathe gave birth to another girl they named Gretl, shortly after they had arrived in their new home.

Tragedy came to the family a year later. Agathe died. And Georg and his children were beyond heartbroken; they were devastated. After a couple of months of deep sadness, Georg found the resolve to put his grief behind him for the sake of his children.

Maria Rainer's story begins with where she was born. Her mother gave birth to her on a train traveling from the Tirol Province of Austria to the city of Vienna. She was an orphan by age nine. A family near where she lived kindly took her in.

She wasn't a burden to them; she helped where ever she was needed. Sometimes it was in the barn helping to clean out the stalls with the man of the house whom she called Uncle Peter. Other things she did helped Aunt Claire around the house. She was very good at mending clothes. She also brought her joy of reading to the other children who numbered four. Mostly they all loved to hear her sing. Uncle Peter had told her. You sound better than some trained professionals.

At the age of sixteen, she was given an orphan's scholarship to attend a university. She enrolled in a university in Vienna to become a school teacher. And she earned extra money by working at a dress shop; her specialties were embroidery and smocking.

Upon graduation she found a teaching position in one of the local elementary schools. Besides her excellent credentials for teaching a fifth grade class; she also became the unofficial music teacher for the school. She was always requested to sing the song Edelweiss during assemblies held in her school for all the students. It had become Austria's unofficial national song.

Maria soon discovered that many of her friends were Jewish and their Sabbath began at sundown on Friday and didn't end until sundown on Saturday. So Saturdays were the day she would visit her aunt and uncle.

This routine continued for a few years. One Saturday her uncle had asked her. What do you know about this new leader in Germany? Her response had been. Only that he talks a lot and he draws big crowds. And his parting words to her were. Be careful, Maria.

Maria remembered those words. And soon she would learn the reason.