Here's a little timetable, so you know which time/year it is, LOL. (I
realized I had problems in that point, so I just made one for myself.)
Maria and Georg married at January 15th 1938 (Made that up *GG*) As Maria must have got pregnant during their honeymoon the Baby will be born somewhere in December. (10 months, yeah I know, everybody is always saying it are only nine, but that's not true. It are really almost 10 months;-)
The Anschluss of Austria was at March 12th 1938. I thought the von Trapp's may have left Austria about three weeks after it. (Beginning of April. As Georg von Trapp was born at April 4th I "guess" Maria and Georg returned from their honeymoon after his birthday.)
Since they left Austria about 7 weeks had passed/ with their delay at Ellis Island about 8 weeks. So it's ~ June 1938. (BTW: WW II started at September 3rd 1939)
Hope you like this chapter (Again without great happenings, had to explain a few things. And please remember: At these days the money had another value than today and it's still a family of nine heads)
Please review:-)
PS: Little V/V allusion inside *GG*
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Chapter 9
The man leaded them into his office and started to search in his papers. Maria watched him nervously. Although she knew she shouldn't, she couldn't stop herself saying something.
"Excuse me Sir, but I got to apologize for my behaviour. I never meant to say all this things. Please, can't we just begin again?"
The man looked up "There's absolutely no need to begin again."
"But you can't send us back."
"Can't I?"
Maria gasped for breath and walked towards the man. "Please. You can't judge about my whole family only because of me."
"Baroness, are you criticizing my work methods?"
"Yes!" Maria said loud. "I mean, you - no, of course not. I never would do so. It's just." She stopped, looking at Georg and the children. She had done it again. Why couldn't she just be quiet? Why was she always saying, what she was thinking?
The man gave Georg a paper. "Please sign this."
Georg did how he was told - he had no other choice. The children stood at the corner of the room, their faces were all white. Maria closed her eyes unbelievingly. No, no, no. That just couldn't be true. What have I done? Oh my god, I messed it all up. Her blood froze in her veins while she was thinking of their uncertain future and she could hardly fight her tears.
After Georg had signed the paper, the man gave him a few other documents.
"You'll take this and go to the port please. There'll be some officers to help you."
"Thank you." Georg murmured and intended to go.
"Oh and - please report at the office in three months. The residence permit is only valid till August 31st. I hope you'll manage it, to integrate yourselves till then."
Everybody looked at him, their mouths stood open, Maria walked three steps towards him "You're not sending us home?"
"No. You'll get your chance."
"Ohhhh - Thank you." Maria fell on his neck. "Thank you so much! But -"
"Why didn't I send you home?" He smiled. "Well, Baroness, your lack of respect towards authorities convinced me that at least you impossibly could have stayed in Austria. Welcome in America - and Good Luck."
The authorities allocated them a small flat in the east of New York. The house was full of emigrants as well as the whole quarter, but the rents were low. The flat was tiny. It had two small sleeping rooms, with barely enough place for nine people. So Marta and Gretl would sleep together with Georg and Maria in the double bed which stood in one room and the others would sleep in the second, bigger room with two bunk beds and a camp bed in it. At least the third and last room of the flat, the kitchen, was big enough for all to stay in the same room. The sanitary facilities were outside at the corridor and they had to share them with the other occupants of the floor.
But Maria didn't care. She was full of enthusiasm. As soon they had arrived in their new home she had started to clean it together with Liesl, Louisa and Brigitta, while Georg and the others explored the neighbourhood.
They scrubbed and polished the flat till it looked almost new. Of course there still weren't drapes, table clothes - nothing which would have given the room a warmer look. But as long they were all together Maria was happy - and the first time since she was pregnant she was really hungry. (By the way a state which wouldn't change until the birth of the Baby.)
Georg had managed it to bring some food along and they had the first of many plain Dinners in their new home.
The days went by. Georg and Maria tried to get jobs, while the children stayed at home, trying to learn English. But they had no luck. Every evening Maria and Georg would return home, without having found a vacancy. The enthusiasm Maria first had got smaller, but she still was happy that they were safe. She didn't care about living a comfortable life, but was sorry that they hadn't enough money to offer their children a better life - and future. But she had confidence that the things would get better.
And really: After three weeks Georg finally found a job as worker at the port, where he unloaded the arriving ships. Maria herself earned some money with darning and patching the clothes of their neighbours. But both didn't earn much and even worse - their money decreased although they lived without any comforts.
So the children decided to do something. Hadn't they promised to work when they were at the cabin of the old man? First they didn't know what exactly to do, but then Brigitta had an idea.
"Remember what Uncle Max said about our signing?"
"That it's beautiful." Marta answered.
"Yes. And that he could make a fortune with it!" Brigitta added, giving her siblings a conspiratorial view.
"Father would never approve us singing to earn money." Liesl said.
"That was when we had money. Now we haven't. We need money, so we should earn some. How to earn money? Doing the things you can do best. What can we do best? Singing!" Brigitta beamed. For a moment there was silence, they looked at each other and finally started to laugh.
"Okay. Let's sing!" Liesl said.
"Let's sing!" The others agreed.
"But we won't tell father or mother! This must stay a secret." Liesl looked at Gretl and Marta. "Alright?" The little ones nodded as well as Friedrich, Kurt, Louisa and Brigitta.
The next day the children went to a nearby Subway Station. They took post next to the entrance and then started to sing. First a few easy children's songs, getting more confident as a few passengers stopped and listened to their music. But although many people seemed to like their singing, only a few gave them money. After an hour the made a rest and counted their money.
"79 Pence." Friedrich said sadly. "We won't get much for it."
"Not really. But we sung only one hour. And the people in this quarter mostly don't have money themselves." Liesl agreed.
"Maybe we should go to another place to sing. A place where the people have more money." Friedrich said.
"Yes. But where?"
"What about a theatre? The people who go to theatre have money for the cards. And they like music." Brigitta considered.
"Father is going to kill us if he finds out we're singing on the street." Louisa suddenly said.
"Better than dying of hunger" Kurt rubbed his stomach "I'm starving. Can't we buy some apples of the money we already earned? We only had some toast for breakfast."
Liesl glanced at her siblings. They all looked hungry and tired. Besides - if they would eat now, they wouldn't be so hungry at the Dinner and at least they could save some food.
From that day on they sung daily in front of a theatre. They didn't earn much more money than in front of the station, but it was more. They bought themselves some food and put the remaining money into one of Kurt's socks.
Of course Maria and Georg were wondering, why the children didn't seem to be hungry at all. They only ate little at Breakfast and Dinner; their Lunch mostly was totally untouched. But both couldn't explain the suddenly and mysterious lack of appetite of their children.
One day something odd happened. The children were singing in front of the theatre as a man appeared. He listened kindly to their music and finally gave Liesl a card.
"You're having beautiful voices. That's the address of my agent's office. Why don't you go there for an audition? He's always searching for new talents to make money with."
"Your agent?" Liesl asked
"Yes, my agent. I'm Leclou, the world's greatest equilibrist." He smiled. "And now excuse me. I'm having a performance this evening." He bowed and rushed away.
"A what?" Gretl asked
"An Equiliribriatistbrit." Marta said.
"And what is an Equililialiabristbrit?" Gretl asked again.
"Maybe he's Brit?" Kurt said.
"What's special about being a Brit?" Louisa wondered "Besides his name sounded French."
"Not Equililialiabristbrit, but equilibrist." Brigitta smiled. "That means he's good in balancing on things and balancing things. A Master of keeping his balance so to speak."
Gretl shrugged her shoulders "Mother can juggle with tomatoes."
The others laughed and Liesl hugged Gretl. Then she looked at her siblings. "Do you think we should go there? Visiting his agent?"
"We impossibly can go there without mother or father." Friedrich answered.
"Mother" They all said at the same time.
To be continued.
Maria and Georg married at January 15th 1938 (Made that up *GG*) As Maria must have got pregnant during their honeymoon the Baby will be born somewhere in December. (10 months, yeah I know, everybody is always saying it are only nine, but that's not true. It are really almost 10 months;-)
The Anschluss of Austria was at March 12th 1938. I thought the von Trapp's may have left Austria about three weeks after it. (Beginning of April. As Georg von Trapp was born at April 4th I "guess" Maria and Georg returned from their honeymoon after his birthday.)
Since they left Austria about 7 weeks had passed/ with their delay at Ellis Island about 8 weeks. So it's ~ June 1938. (BTW: WW II started at September 3rd 1939)
Hope you like this chapter (Again without great happenings, had to explain a few things. And please remember: At these days the money had another value than today and it's still a family of nine heads)
Please review:-)
PS: Little V/V allusion inside *GG*
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 9
The man leaded them into his office and started to search in his papers. Maria watched him nervously. Although she knew she shouldn't, she couldn't stop herself saying something.
"Excuse me Sir, but I got to apologize for my behaviour. I never meant to say all this things. Please, can't we just begin again?"
The man looked up "There's absolutely no need to begin again."
"But you can't send us back."
"Can't I?"
Maria gasped for breath and walked towards the man. "Please. You can't judge about my whole family only because of me."
"Baroness, are you criticizing my work methods?"
"Yes!" Maria said loud. "I mean, you - no, of course not. I never would do so. It's just." She stopped, looking at Georg and the children. She had done it again. Why couldn't she just be quiet? Why was she always saying, what she was thinking?
The man gave Georg a paper. "Please sign this."
Georg did how he was told - he had no other choice. The children stood at the corner of the room, their faces were all white. Maria closed her eyes unbelievingly. No, no, no. That just couldn't be true. What have I done? Oh my god, I messed it all up. Her blood froze in her veins while she was thinking of their uncertain future and she could hardly fight her tears.
After Georg had signed the paper, the man gave him a few other documents.
"You'll take this and go to the port please. There'll be some officers to help you."
"Thank you." Georg murmured and intended to go.
"Oh and - please report at the office in three months. The residence permit is only valid till August 31st. I hope you'll manage it, to integrate yourselves till then."
Everybody looked at him, their mouths stood open, Maria walked three steps towards him "You're not sending us home?"
"No. You'll get your chance."
"Ohhhh - Thank you." Maria fell on his neck. "Thank you so much! But -"
"Why didn't I send you home?" He smiled. "Well, Baroness, your lack of respect towards authorities convinced me that at least you impossibly could have stayed in Austria. Welcome in America - and Good Luck."
The authorities allocated them a small flat in the east of New York. The house was full of emigrants as well as the whole quarter, but the rents were low. The flat was tiny. It had two small sleeping rooms, with barely enough place for nine people. So Marta and Gretl would sleep together with Georg and Maria in the double bed which stood in one room and the others would sleep in the second, bigger room with two bunk beds and a camp bed in it. At least the third and last room of the flat, the kitchen, was big enough for all to stay in the same room. The sanitary facilities were outside at the corridor and they had to share them with the other occupants of the floor.
But Maria didn't care. She was full of enthusiasm. As soon they had arrived in their new home she had started to clean it together with Liesl, Louisa and Brigitta, while Georg and the others explored the neighbourhood.
They scrubbed and polished the flat till it looked almost new. Of course there still weren't drapes, table clothes - nothing which would have given the room a warmer look. But as long they were all together Maria was happy - and the first time since she was pregnant she was really hungry. (By the way a state which wouldn't change until the birth of the Baby.)
Georg had managed it to bring some food along and they had the first of many plain Dinners in their new home.
The days went by. Georg and Maria tried to get jobs, while the children stayed at home, trying to learn English. But they had no luck. Every evening Maria and Georg would return home, without having found a vacancy. The enthusiasm Maria first had got smaller, but she still was happy that they were safe. She didn't care about living a comfortable life, but was sorry that they hadn't enough money to offer their children a better life - and future. But she had confidence that the things would get better.
And really: After three weeks Georg finally found a job as worker at the port, where he unloaded the arriving ships. Maria herself earned some money with darning and patching the clothes of their neighbours. But both didn't earn much and even worse - their money decreased although they lived without any comforts.
So the children decided to do something. Hadn't they promised to work when they were at the cabin of the old man? First they didn't know what exactly to do, but then Brigitta had an idea.
"Remember what Uncle Max said about our signing?"
"That it's beautiful." Marta answered.
"Yes. And that he could make a fortune with it!" Brigitta added, giving her siblings a conspiratorial view.
"Father would never approve us singing to earn money." Liesl said.
"That was when we had money. Now we haven't. We need money, so we should earn some. How to earn money? Doing the things you can do best. What can we do best? Singing!" Brigitta beamed. For a moment there was silence, they looked at each other and finally started to laugh.
"Okay. Let's sing!" Liesl said.
"Let's sing!" The others agreed.
"But we won't tell father or mother! This must stay a secret." Liesl looked at Gretl and Marta. "Alright?" The little ones nodded as well as Friedrich, Kurt, Louisa and Brigitta.
The next day the children went to a nearby Subway Station. They took post next to the entrance and then started to sing. First a few easy children's songs, getting more confident as a few passengers stopped and listened to their music. But although many people seemed to like their singing, only a few gave them money. After an hour the made a rest and counted their money.
"79 Pence." Friedrich said sadly. "We won't get much for it."
"Not really. But we sung only one hour. And the people in this quarter mostly don't have money themselves." Liesl agreed.
"Maybe we should go to another place to sing. A place where the people have more money." Friedrich said.
"Yes. But where?"
"What about a theatre? The people who go to theatre have money for the cards. And they like music." Brigitta considered.
"Father is going to kill us if he finds out we're singing on the street." Louisa suddenly said.
"Better than dying of hunger" Kurt rubbed his stomach "I'm starving. Can't we buy some apples of the money we already earned? We only had some toast for breakfast."
Liesl glanced at her siblings. They all looked hungry and tired. Besides - if they would eat now, they wouldn't be so hungry at the Dinner and at least they could save some food.
From that day on they sung daily in front of a theatre. They didn't earn much more money than in front of the station, but it was more. They bought themselves some food and put the remaining money into one of Kurt's socks.
Of course Maria and Georg were wondering, why the children didn't seem to be hungry at all. They only ate little at Breakfast and Dinner; their Lunch mostly was totally untouched. But both couldn't explain the suddenly and mysterious lack of appetite of their children.
One day something odd happened. The children were singing in front of the theatre as a man appeared. He listened kindly to their music and finally gave Liesl a card.
"You're having beautiful voices. That's the address of my agent's office. Why don't you go there for an audition? He's always searching for new talents to make money with."
"Your agent?" Liesl asked
"Yes, my agent. I'm Leclou, the world's greatest equilibrist." He smiled. "And now excuse me. I'm having a performance this evening." He bowed and rushed away.
"A what?" Gretl asked
"An Equiliribriatistbrit." Marta said.
"And what is an Equililialiabristbrit?" Gretl asked again.
"Maybe he's Brit?" Kurt said.
"What's special about being a Brit?" Louisa wondered "Besides his name sounded French."
"Not Equililialiabristbrit, but equilibrist." Brigitta smiled. "That means he's good in balancing on things and balancing things. A Master of keeping his balance so to speak."
Gretl shrugged her shoulders "Mother can juggle with tomatoes."
The others laughed and Liesl hugged Gretl. Then she looked at her siblings. "Do you think we should go there? Visiting his agent?"
"We impossibly can go there without mother or father." Friedrich answered.
"Mother" They all said at the same time.
To be continued.