Joint Collaboration: Kristina von Trapp Visits Gmunden

On the occasion of the opening of the new Sound of Music Museum in Salzburg, Kristina von Trapp, granddaughter of Maria von Trapp, the author of the book behind “The Sound of Music”, visited Austria again in September. Located on the grounds of Hellbrunn Palace, the museum explores both the worldwide impact of the film and the true story of the von Trapp family. During her stay, Kristina von Trapp also made a second visit to Gmundner Keramik. She had already visited the manufactory in Gmunden in February 2025. This encounter has since resulted in a joint collection.

What Gmundner Keramik and the von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort in Vermont have in common is their appreciation for authentic craftsmanship and genuine hospitality. For the von Trapp family, their Austrian roots remain an important part of their identity to this day. When they left Austria, they took traditions and values with them to America that continue to shape life at the lodge: music, hospitality, a sense of coziness and high-quality craftsmanship. These influences are reflected in the architecture, cuisine and guest experience, keeping their Austrian heritage present in their new home.

During her first visit to the Gmundner Keramik manufactory in February 2025, Kristina von Trapp experienced the care and dedication with which traditional craftsmanship and a piece of Austrian culture are preserved here. “Watching the artisans at work, learning more about techniques that have been preserved for centuries, and experiencing the dedication behind each individual piece was very inspiring,” she recalls. The encounter highlighted that, for both Gmundner Keramik and the lodge in Vermont, tradition is something living—something to be preserved for future generations, continually enriched and passed on.

This experience gave rise to the idea for the Edelweiss Collection. The edelweiss became the shared motif because it brings together two places that represent home to the von Trapp family: the Austrian Alps and the Green Mountains of Vermont. As a symbol of the alpine spirit, it represents the family’s origins and is also closely associated with the film “The Sound of Music.” For Kristina von Trapp, it also has a meaning in the present: “For us, it perfectly embodies the connection between Austria and Vermont.”

The collection has now been expanded with a new beer stein. It, too, reflects part of the family’s history: through von Trapp Brewing, the family runs its own brewery in its new home, inspired by Austrian brewing traditions. The handcrafted stein adds another expression of what has been part of life at the lodge for generations: hospitality, sharing good times and the joy of being together.

What began as a visit to Gmunden has thus developed into a cultural partnership that brings together Austrian craftsmanship with the history of the von Trapp family and their new home in Vermont. “First and foremost, this is a cultural partnership,” says Kristina von Trapp. She sums up the idea behind the collection in one sentence: “Each piece carries a little bit of Austria and a little bit of Vermont within it.”