von Trapp
Baron August von Trapp,
or
August Ritter von Trapp.
"Ritter"
means "Sir" or "Knight",
and
"von"
means rank of nobility.
The
English equivalent of his hereditary title is often given as
"Baron",
but the correct equivalent is "Sir August von Trapp,
Baronet".
He was born August Trapp,
Bad Homburg,
Germany,
1836
(see
here).
Catholic.
Commandant in
Austro-Hungarian Navy
(formed 1867, bases on Adriatic).
He
mar
Hedwig Wepler.
His exploits at sea earned the family in 1876 the rank of nobility
and a hereditary title.
The "von" did NOT come in with his son Georg but rather with the father,
as shown by
August's gravestone, which says:
"August Ritter von Trapp".
He died 1884, age 48 yrs.
He was bur Austrian Naval Cemetery,
Pula, Croatia
(then in Austro-Hungarian Empire).
They had issue:
- Hede von Trapp,
noted artist,
Hedwig,
born 1877, Pula,
poet, painter and graphic designer of Art Nouveau,
died 1947, Austria, age 70 yrs.
-
Baron Georg von Trapp,
or Georg Ritter von Trapp,
of the famous singing family,
pron. "Gayorg",
born 1880,
Zadar,
Croatia (then in Austro-Hungarian Empire).
- Baron Werner von Trapp,
or Werner Ritter von Trapp,
younger son,
born est c.1884.
In
German and Austrian nobility,
all the sons have the title, not just the eldest son.
