EDELWEISS
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. This is all Rogers and Hammerstein's work. And the screen writers and the network; No Copyright infringement intended.
This story came to me after I finished my story, "Faith, Family and Friends." I wanted it to be a separate story.
Introduction
The war had ended, Austria like most of Europe was practically destroyed. To imagine what it might have looked like, I think about the devastation after Hurricane Andrew in south Florida or the more recent scenes from Japan after the earthquake and tsunami or the recent tornados in the mid-south of America, or the fires in Australia and the list could go on.
The Trapp Family as they were now called felt the hurt of their countrymen, perhaps also a sense of guilt because they had escaped to a country not affected by the devastation of the war; sacrifice yes but not devastation.
As Maria always did, she related things back to the Bible; the story of Joseph the young son of Jacob who had been sold into slavery by his brothers. Instead of seeking revenge he used the power they he had gained over the years to help the people of his homeland during their time of a great famine.
Likewise the Trapp Family turned to their new countrymen to help aid the Austrians. After the war ended in Europe, they received a summons of the Lord, so to speak; a letter from the General of the American Army of Occupation in Austria. The letter asked for their help. They formed the "Trapp Family Austrian Relief, Inc."
At their concerts they asked for not only money but material donations as well, many hundreds of pounds of clothing and non-perishable foods items were collected and sent to their homeland.
Georg never sang with the family. That was until he read in letters that had been sent directly to them about the plight of his fellow Austrians and after the establishment of their relief organization. Letters with horrific details of the misery of the people, especially the elderly and the little children; without help more would die.
He stood in the wings of the stage as he always did. It was near the end of the concert when he surprised Maria and the children by walking out on stage and picking up the guitar.
His thoughts were elsewhere; to the first time he sang Edelweiss; not the very first, that had been with Agathe years ago, but the time at the Villa with his children, Max, Elsa and Maria listening.
And then the performance at the Festival, he had wanted so much to leave his fellow Austrians with resolute assurance that Austria would not be forgotten. And the words he had spoke that night:
My fellow Austrians
. . .I shall not be seeing you again, perhaps for a very long time.
I would like to sing for you now
. . . a love song.
I know you share this love.
I pray that you will never let it die.
He sang:
Edelweiss
Edelweiss
He sang about a small white flower,
The song compared it to a face which was happy to see him.
He wished for it to remain forever and bless his homeland.
Edelweiss
Edelweiss
Bless my homeland forever
Edelweiss, Edel... And then his voice had failed him. His heart was too heavy. Within minutes Maria had rescued him as she and the children and he as well finished it; urging his countrymen to sing along.
Tonight he knew would be different. He was singing for the re-birth of Austria, an Austria that his children and grandchildren would help to build. So sitting on a chair that had been provided, he sang and although his voice did not falter he looked to Maria and the children and invited them to join him for the next verse.
The response of the audience was so great they asked for an encore. The audience was moved; they placed in the baskets coins, a few gave dollars, but mostly they wanted the names of families in Austria, to whom they could send things. It meant so much more to actually have a name of a family they were helping.
His children didn't realize how hard it was for him to sing; he had a hard enough time just breathing. It was only a few weeks later that he went to be with the Lord. The family kept Edelweiss as the final song for all future concerts usually started by Kurt.
The brave sea Captain had left a legacy of faith, a legacy passed down by singing. Although he never expressed it, Maria knew deep inside, that he was proud, very proud of his family's singing.