The Extremes of Emotion

During the couple's time away, Max had been busy, not only with the children but also with his official duties of planning the Kaltzberg Festival. He had one more place left before the program would be complete. On that first Monday, he had made a plan to have the children sing for the committee. It was after lunch.

"Okay, children it's time for your marching exercise."

He was bombarded with the same response. "We don't march anymore, Uncle Max."

"You don't, Marta? Well then, we can take a walk. Is that okay?"

"Where to, Uncle Max?"

"Nowhere special, Louisa, just a leisurely walk. Why don't you get ready and meet me at the front door?"

They were waiting for him. "Friedrich, please bring up the rear."

Max knew exactly where he was going. He didn't take them through town. They took the path by the Abbey garden. They wove through a few streets and arrived at their destination.

The observant child spoke. "Uncle Max, why did you bring us to the festival hall?"

"Oh, I thought you might like to sing on a big stage."

"Can we really?

"You sure can. Follow me."

"Children, please meet Herr Wolfgang. He and his committee is going to listen to you sing."

"Hello, sir. Uncle Max, what should we sing?"

"The Hills Are Alive would be perfect, Liesl."

"Give me a minute to warm up our voices."

"Take all the time you need, young lady."

They didn't need much time. The children stood on the stage and began the song as they had sung it the day their father had first heard them sing. Liesl could see the smiles on the faces of the committee. She knew they had done well.

"Max, where did you find these children?"

"I've known the family for years. I had no idea they sang so well until a few weeks ago. They should be the star of the festival."

Herr Wolfgang had seen nods of approval from the committee. "You're correct, Max. I'll add them to the program."

Their walk home was full of chatter. Max had other things on his mind. One was finding the perfect song for them to sing and the other was having costumes made for them.

When they got home, he and Liesl fine-tuned the Do-Re-Me song. They would practice it several times a day. Max's next task wasn't difficult.

Max asked a favor of Ellen. "I know you sew for the children. I'd like matching Austrian peasant dresses made for all the girls. Maybe Maggie could sew one for Maria too."

"Herr Detweiler, what are you up to?"

"Now, Ellen, why do you ask?"

"I have a feeling you're up to mischief."

"It's not mischief. Can you please?"

"Okay, I'll buy the material and get started. They're easy to make."

"Thank you." Max would take care of the boys. He knew the tailor.

A couple of days later, Max left the house after lunch for the festival hall. It was in view when suddenly all the bells began to toll. People came out of their homes and businesses and danced in the streets. They shouted. "We're Germans now!"

Why now, Max asked himself. He hurried to the hall. "Wolfgang, Wolfgang, is it really true?"

"It is Max. Herr Zeller's in charge. He told me the festival will go on."

"Are you sure?"

"The Germans want to show the world nothing has changed. The rehearsal will take place as planned."

Max walked home wondering if he could keep this news from the children. A few houses later, he saw the Nazi flag. He knew there would be many more. He decided to arrange for a bus to take them to the hall for the dress rehearsal.

That day had arrived. "Children, today is the final rehearsal. We're taking a bus there this time.'

"Should we dress up, Uncle Max?"

"If you want to, you can."

"My, you look lovely. The bus is here. Let's go."

The driver did his best to avoid the displays of the new flag; it was impossible. Max was waiting for one of the children to say something. Instead they practiced their song. The rehearsal went well. Max sent the children home. He had to attend to his duties as master of ceremony.

Max had arrived home an hour later. He was anxious to find the children. He came down the stairs in a hurry calling their names.

They came running in from the patio. They were still in their nice clothes. Friedrich was wearing his suit from the party, Kurt had a sweater vest instead of his suit coat and all the girls were in shimmery pastel dresses.

"Look what I have; the program for the Kaltzberg Festival 1938; and here are all your names." He held so everyone could see and read their names from oldest to youngest.

"Why am I always last?"

"Because you are the youngest." Liesl told her little sister.

Marta and Gretl continued to look at the program. Marta held on to it along with her inseparable companion, her moppy hair rag doll. They went and sat down together. Gretl took a seat on Liesl's lap.

Today Max was prepping them for the day after tomorrow. He enlisted Liesl to help him. "Have all the children dressed and on the bus at eleven o'clock." They had seen their costumes; they had been elated with them.

Brigitta questioned him. "Are you sure this is alright with father?"

"He'll be pleased and proud."

"Liesl, do you think so?"

"Brigitta, don't you trust me?"

"No…" Their conversation was interrupted. Frau Schmidt entered the room and spoke calmly. "Herr Detweiler can you help me, please. The Gauleiter is here. He wants to know why we're not flying the new flag."

She barely said her words before this man forced his way into the room. He briskly and loudly gave the Nazi salute and began to talk. The children heard him. Brigitta recognized him from the party.

"When is Captain von Trapp returning?"

Max attempted to make light talk. "Who knows, he's on his honeymoon."

The Gauleiter was all business; he wanted no part of his talk. "This is no time for joking. It's been four days since the Anschluss and this is the only house not flying the flag of the Third Reich."

He doesn't want to hear anything from Frau Schmidt either. "You will take your orders from us. And so will the Captain!"

Brigitta was bold. She got up and stood beside Max. There was no waver in her voice. "You mean the flag with the black spider on it?"

Max tried to hush her. "Brigitta!" Friedrich rushed to be at her side, he was her protective older brother. The Gauleiter moved closer to Brigitta. Friedrich held her close to him and moved back a little from this man. "Do you allow such talk in this house?"

He called out Max. "Who are you?"

Max gave Friedrich a slight push. He took Brigitta to the sofa. All of them were listening to the conversation.

"Maximilian Detweiler, first Secretary of Education and Culture."

"That was in the old regime."

"In the old regime I was third secretary; now I'm first secretary." Max looked him in the eye; he didn't flinch.

"Then you can order them to fly the flag. Heil!"

He waited for Max's response. He gave him a half-hearted "Heil." He knew the children were watching and listening.

Little Gretl looked at Liesl and in the innocent voice of a five year old asked. "Why was he so cross?"

"Everyone's cross these days." Frau Schmidt told her. She and Max exchanged glances.

"Is Father going to be in trouble?" Liesl asked.

Max answered her. "He doesn't have to be; the idea today is to get along with everyone. Liesl, remember to have the children on the bus at eleven o'clock on Friday."

Max had no idea Georg and Maria were on the outskirts of Nonnberg. They missed Herr Zeller's visit by minutes. "Maria, as hard as it is, we must put on a happy face for the children. There's no need to worry them."

"I know. I was thinking the same."

Franz was there to greet them. "Welcome home, sir, the children will be ecstatic to see you. I'll take your luggage up to your room."

"Thank you, Franz." Nothing he said or his bearing gave away his secret.

"Let's pause and calm ourselves, darling." They waited a few minutes before entering the house.

Franz had to walk through the sitting room to get to the stairs. He announced his presence. "Liesl, look what I have."

"Father's luggage…"

"Yes, they're back!"

The children jumped out of their seats. Max attempted to calm them. "Children, they will have so much to tell us, let's not tell them anything." He wanted to keep their singing at the festival a secret for as long as he could.

Maria and Georg entered the house; they both took a deep breath before coming around the corner. The children weren't listening to Max; they were much too excited. All of them saw their parents at the same time. Max stayed on the sofa; he did turn around to watch the happy reunion.

Gretl ran to her father who picked her up. Kurt was the first to reach Maria. He gave her a big hug. "We missed you."

"Georg, we didn't expect you home until next week."

Georg had put Gretl down and went towards Max to shake his hand. "Has it been good here? That much I want to know." This was Georg's way to let Max know he knew all about Anschluss.

Max didn't have time to answer. Georg heard Maria speak. "Children, we missed you so very much."

"What did you miss the most?" Gretl asked.

"All the noise you make in the morning, telling each other to be quiet."

"We missed coming up the stairs to kiss you goodnight," Georg had knelt between Gretl and Marta. He soothed Marta's arm.

Maria added. "We missed hearing you sing."

That's all Brigitta needed to hear. Brigitta grabbed the festival program from Marta; Max grabbed hold of it at the same instant. Brigitta gave Max's hand a karate chop to force him to let loose of it. She proudly showed it to her parents. "You're just in time. We're singing in the Kaltzberg Festival Friday night." Max stood there, trying to look innocent.

"Let me see that." Georg took it from his daughter. He opened it and saw all their names. "Max is this your doing?"

"I was going to talk to you."

"You can't talk your way out of this." Georg's face grew serious. He walked away from the children as Frau Schmidt and Maggie arrived with a box of gifts for the children. They took them and ran up the stairs to open them.

Max tried to defend his decision. He pleaded with Georg. "…seven children in one family. They'll be the talk of the festival."

"Not my family."

Maria was listening. She didn't understand why her husband was so upset. She knew he enjoyed their singing and like to sing himself. She inquired.

"Max, what did the committee say?"

"They were enchanted."

"Georg, if they make people happy." Maria was hoping for a positive reply.

Georg politely told her. "My family does not sing in public."

He firmly placed the program on the table and stomped off towards the door. Liesl had quietly come half way down the stairs. No one noticed her. She listened to the adults.

Max followed him. "The Anschluss was peaceful. We must be grateful."

Georg was of another opinion. His face was tense as he exploded at Max. "Grateful! To these swine!" He went into his study; he shut the door forcibly.

Max tried to bully Maria to convince him he needed to get along with these people. "No Max, I can't ask Georg to be less than he is."

"Then I'll talk to them. If the children don't perform at the festival…" He wanted to say something else; he saw Liesl out of the corner of his eye. "It will be a reflection on Austria."

He walked up the other staircase and turned. "And it wouldn't do me any good." He continued up the steps.

Maria turned around and rested her hands on the back of the sofa. She was trying to make sense of all that had occurred. She heard Liesl's voice.

"Maria, I always knew you loved us children. Now I know you love Father."

"I do, Liesl. I love him very much."

"How can you be sure?"

"I don't think of myself first. I think of him first."

Maria began a song whose last line tells that love isn't love until it's given away. She and Liesl walked together to the sofa, where they sat and continued to talk through a song.

The first stanza Maria sang told Liesl that someday the right one would touch her heart. Now it was Liesl's turn. Her lines told her mother she knew that one day that would happen and nothing would be the same. In the next stanza, Maria spoke of putting old ideas away as you discover you're in love.

Together they end the song. Liesl needed to wait a year or two for good things to happen to her. They embraced. Their mother-daughter moment was interrupted.

Frau Schmidt entered the room. In a quiet and tentative voice she announced. "There's a telegram for the Captain."

They both saw Rolf come from the entry. His walk was determined; his eyes were fixed.

Liesl didn't notice; she was elated. Immediately she was off the sofa and standing where she could see him. "Rolf, I'd like you to meet my mother, my new mother." Her mannerisms conveyed all those wonderful feelings which one had when seeing someone who you had dreamed about ever since that first kiss on the hillside.

Maria was happy for her as well; she came to stand next her. "Rolf, finally we meet."

Neither received what they expected. Rolf stood like a stick figure and his voice was like a robot. "I have a telegram for the Captain." He held it in his hand with his arm extended. He didn't flinch; his eyes were fixed.

Maria tried to allow Liesl some time alone with him. She made this offer. "I'll take it to him. You can stay here with Liesl."

The robot spoke again. "I'm under orders to be sure the captain gets."

Maria tried again. "You can trust me to deliver it to him."

Again with eyes fixed, Rolf spoke. "I have my orders."

Liesl tried to chide him. "Silly, they're married."

Franz came down the stairs. Rolf turned to him. "Franz, please see the Captain gets this." By now Liesl was alarmed.

The two exchange "Heil" greetings to the distress of Maria and Liesl. Maria turned away from him. "Even Franz." Her mind was trying to comprehend what she had witnessed.

Franz left immediately for Georg's study. Rolf began his speech. "Yes, even Franz; even me and everyone in Nonnberg except the great Captain von Trapp." He was looking directly at Liesl.

Rolf took two steps towards her. "He better come over to the right side. There are things that happen to people like him."

Liesl went towards him. "Rolf, don't say things like that." Her words did no good.

He continued his point blank speech. "He better get out of the country; he better get out quick."

Liesl turned her back on him and she started to cry; she rested her head on Maria's shoulder. Maria tried to comfort her daughter.

Rofl showed no mercy. "Cry all you want; he better listen." And he looked at Maria, "you better listen too." He stomped off.

"Don't cry Liesl."

"How could he turn on Father?"

"Maybe he wasn't threating your father; maybe he was warning him." Liesl continued to cry; she ran up the stairs.

In his study Georg had been swearing to himself. "How could Max even think about getting along with these people? Doesn't he know I'm on their list to receive orders to serve in the German Navy?" He heard a knock. "Come in."

"Yes Franz."

"I have a telegram for you, sir. I also must tell you. I fully support the Anschluss but I will not leave here any time soon."

"I suspected, you're a good man for telling the truth."

"Thank you, sir." He exited after his crisp short bow.

Georg was reading the telegram at the same time he heard a voice he recognized. He had heard Rolf's last words and Maria's explanation to Liesl. Georg came from his study; telegram in hand. He called to Liesl; she kept running.

"What is it, Georg?" Maria could sense something was very wrong; she saw the piece of paper in his hand. Georg was honest with his wife.

"I didn't think I'd have to make a decision so soon. Berlin has offered me a commission in their Navy."

"Well Georg." She was asking him to continue.

"I can't brush it aside. It would be nice to have command of a ship again." Maria could tell he was torn. After all he had received a medal from the Emperor for heroism at sea. She would do all she could to support him. The decision was his.

Georg held Maria's hand and led her to take a seat on the sofa. "What I mean, it would be comforting to know you and the children would be safe." Maria didn't speak; she waited for her husband.

Georg mumbled some words. "Help me Maria." His mind was going in all directions.

Maria defined their marriage vows. "Whatever you decide is my decision." She would support him no matter what he told her.

"Thank you Maria, I know now I can't do it."

"Of course not." She had told him she agreed.

'We must get out of Austria." He stood.

Maria had listened to Rolf. "You need to leave tonight." Maria stood and held his hand.

"Not without my family, we can't just walk out. They will be watching us now. We need to plan. We need time."

Voices from the entry got their attention. They both heard the "Heils." Franz appeared. "Captain, Admiral von Scheiber of the Third Reich is here to see you."

"Thank you, Franz."

"They didn't give us time, Maria." Georg's hand rested on Maria's arm.

Maria spoke with the strength of Sampson. "Then we need to make time."

"I'll bring him in; we need to leave now." He gave Maria's arm a comforting squeeze. He was really telling her they had no choice. He knew exactly why the Admiral was there.

He left for the front door. Maria saw the festival program on the table. She picked it up and studied it. Max had heard the doorbell; he came running from his room. He paused on the balcony. "What's happening?"

Maria didn't answer him. He ran to the window. "Stormtroopers! That's what I was worried about, Maria." He hurried down the stairs.

Maria wasn't listening; she had an idea of how to make time. "Max, stay with Georg." She saw Liesl who had also looked out the window. Maria began to hurry up the stairs. She called to Liesl.

"Find the children, quickly find the children."

"Liesl, we need to sing. What were you going to wear for the festival?"

"Our costumes, Ellen made them for us. Maggie made one for you too."

"I have yours, Maria. I'll be right back."

The others didn't need any instructions. Liesl and Louisa took charge.

Ellen hurried back to Maria who was already out of her blouse and shirt. Maria had the blouse and dress on in seconds. Ellen tied the apron strings. Maria placed the chocker ribbon around her neck. Ellen smoothed her hair and placed her hair ribbon.

"Liesl, as soon as all the children are ready, come stand on the stairs and be ready to give me a tone and don't forget your father's suit coat."

Max had continued down the stairs. He could hear voices from around the corner. He looked back to see if Maria had made it up the stairs. He composed himself and casually walked down the remaining stairs. As soon as he reached the last step, he heard Georg's voice.

"This way Admiral, we can sit in here." He saw Max. "Admiral, may I present Herr Detweiler. Max, you already know Herr Zeller." There were no handshakes or pleasantries. Herr Zeller glared at Max; he glared back.

Georg was trying to be civil. "We can sit in here." Georg extended his arm in the direction of the seating arrangement.

The gruff Herr Zeller wanted no part of being civil. "We're here on business." The Admiral glared at Herr Zeller as if to say don't you have any manners.

The Admiral spoke to Georg. "A telegram was sent to you three days ago."

"Yes, I just received it. I've been away. I've only been home a half an hour." He reached into his pocket for it.

"The captain's been away on his honeymoon, sir." Again Herr Zeller glared at Max; probably thinking, you idiot. Max didn't respond in any way; his facial expression never changed. He wasn't about to let him get under his skin. He stood there and listened and watched the scene unfold.

"Congratulations, Captain."

"Thank you, sir."

"Your record in the war is very well remembered by us."

"It's good to hear you say that sir." Georg had a make-believe happy face; he struggled to smile.

"Get to the point, Admiral."

The Admiral glowered at Herr Zeller. "Do you mind, I'll do as I please."

The Admiral tried to soften his words. "In our navy we hold you in very high regard. That explains why I am here. When we didn't get an answer from our telegram, the high command sent me in person."

Georg's response was equally kind. "That's very flattering, Admiral." He waved the telegram. "I haven't had a chance to consider."

The Admiral's voice changed. He now spoke with authority. "I am here to bring you your commission."

Georg continued to delay what he knew was coming. He was constantly placing his hand on his stomach; a reaction to the body's flight or fight response. "I'm deeply conscious of the honor sir, but…"

The Admiral continued. "And your orders are to report immediately to the naval base in Bremerhaven."

Georg tried to respond; he lowered his head and put the telegram on the table. Another voice responded to the Admiral. Maria was standing on the upper landing; she talked as she walked down the stairs.

"Immediately? I'm afraid that would be impossible for you Georg."

Max had turned; he smiled when he saw Maria, dressed in her costume. Georg may have noticed it; it probably didn't register. His mind was still reeling from the news.

Georg spoke immediately. "Admiral, may I present my wife, the Baroness von Trapp."

He was respectful; he lowered his head. "Madam." Herr Zeller was steamed. He stepped to get a closer look at Maria. He didn't recognize her; her hair was different from the night of the party. He knew she wasn't Elsa.

Maria addressed the Admiral again. She looked directly at him. "What I meant sir. All of us are singing in the Kaltzberg Festival Friday night, the von Trapp Family Singers. Here is the program." Maria's hand didn't shake nor did her words waver.

Georg was perplexed. He couldn't imagine what would happen next. The Admiral looked at the program. "Friday night, today is Wednesday; you could report to Bremerhaven by Monday. Is there a telephone I could use?" He handed the program to Herr Zeller.

Maria was about to speak; Max beat her. "This way Admiral."

Herr Zeller wasn't at all pleased. He examined the program. He saw only the names of the children in the program booklet. For each of his outbursts; Georg had and equally abrasive retort. Herr Zeller wasn't convinced Georg could sing. He demanded that Georg sing for him.

"Sing now!" He screamed.

Georg had an instant of indecision; then he heard Maria. "Liesl, give us a doe."

Georg turned. He saw his children standing on the stairs; all dressed in matching clothes. Has mind held a miss-mash of emotions; surprise, wonder and thanks. In a split second, Georg realized his wife had given them the time they needed to make a plan. A tiny smile was formed by his lips.

Liesl sounded a note on a pitch pipe and Maria began to sing. "Doe a deer…" The children knew exactly where to start singing; they appeared confident and unafraid.

Georg put on the coat Maria had just handed him and sang his part. "Far, a long, long way to run," His voice was loud and strong. He sang directly into Herr Zeller's ear; he continued to glare at him.

The Admiral had finished his call. "The high command wants you to perform. It will show the world nothing has changed in Austria."

Herr Zeller added his growl. "I'll be watching you on Friday." He and the Admiral and their guards left the room.