CHAMPION THE ARTS PROMOTE PEACE ARCHIVE & EDUCATE
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Shela Gobertina von Trapp
Johanna II von Trapp
Rijeka, Croatia, 2016 at 7th International
Conference on Industrial Heritage
Shela Gobertina von Trapp
Founder, President
Shela is the Founder & President of the Georg & Agathe Foundation and Celebrity Legacy. Shela is passionate about historical preservation and the wisdom that often comes from examining our past. She also believes in the power of the arts to inspire, reflect, and sometimes transcend. Shela previously spent a decade as a sustainability leader in corporate America. She holds a Masters Degree in Energy and Environmental Analysis from Boston University. Shela speaks internationally on the insights gained by researching her diverse family heritage and how we are all more connected than we think.
Family connection: Shela is a great-granddaughter of Baron Captain Georg von Trapp, WWI Austro-Hungarian naval hero and father of the von Trapp children—whose family's life story inspired the world-renowned musical, The Sound of Music—and his first wife Agathe Gobertina Whitehead, daughter and granddaughter of British engineers Cavaliere (Knight) John Whitehead and Baron Robert Whitehead—inventor of the torpedo. Shela is a granddaughter of Baroness Johanna von Trapp of the Trapp Family Singers, portrayed as the second youngest von Trapp child, 'Marta' in the play and film.
Founders
Photo: © Georg & Agathe Foundation
Photo: © Johanna II von Trapp
Many helping hands
Behind the Scenes...
The Georg & Agathe Foundation was founded, and is currently managed, by third and fourth generation family descendants. They are passionate about the stewardship of family legacies and heritage, as well as the joys in learning history, and seeing how so many stories are interconnected. Deeply inspired to honor the memory of their ancestors, the team is dedicated to our mission to champion the arts, promote peace, and archive & educate. Our projects are to give-back, preserve & share history, and suggest resources on how to discover your roots. Located both in Europe and the United States, the management team has a foot in both worlds that shaped their family's story.
Our hope is to spread some goodness in the world.
The Shoulders We Stand On
Management Team
Thank You
Family Memoirists— The foundation's research stands on the shoulders of many previous family members who wrote their story down for future generations, much gratitude is owed to: Count István Széchenyi (1791-1860), Countess Alice Whitehead Hoyos (1851-1936), Countess Agathe von Breunner Whitehead (1856–1945), Count Edgar Hoyos (1875-1952) memoirs translated by RAF Captain John Whitehead (1921-2008), Countess Alice Hoyos-Stichsenstein Morris (1907-1979), Baron Captain Georg von Trapp (1880–1947), Fritz Dreiheller (1894-1974), Maria Augusta von Trapp née Kutschera (1905-1987), Countess Cecilia von Reventlow-Criminil Sternberg (1908-1983), Baroness Agathe von Trapp (1913–2010), Baroness Maria Franziska von Trapp (1914–2014), Baroness Johanna von Trapp Winter (1919–1994), Henriette Lajoie von Trapp (1928-2013), and Count László Széchényi (b. 1931).
Authors— We are also thankful to these authors who have helped preserve our family's memories: Edwin Gray, who wrote The Devil's Device about Robert Whitehead and William B. Anderson who wrote, The World of The Trapp Family about the von Trapp family.
Family & Friends— So many to thank over the years that have contributed to the family's story publicly or privately and have shared materials, letters, photos, connections, resources, access to archives, etc.: Ana Alebic-Juretic, Elaine Barry, Tom & Veronica Barry, M. Eng. Đorđe Berc, Drs. Hildebrand de Boer, Roger Branfill-Cook, Dipl. Ing. Dr. tech. Herwig F. Brun, Denis Cahill, Elizabeth Campbell Peters, Rachel & Gerald Clarkson, Mr. sc. Velid Đekić, Albrecht Dreiheller, Philippa Fletcher & Jim, Sarah Fletcher, Prof. dr. sc. Bernard Franković, Andrew Gee, Mr. sc. Diana Glavočić, Agathe Gloor, Alaneo Gloor, Vivienne Gray, Carla von Trapp Hunter, Mary Lou Kane, Dipl. Ing. Helmut W. Malnig, Jasna Malvic, Stuart McPherson, Prince Tassilo Metternich-Sándor, David Morgan, Kikuli Mwanakuzi, Christopher & Renate Neuffer, Hildegard Neuffer, Ulrike Neuffer, John Robinson, Jasna Škarić, DI. Dr. mont. Nikolaus A. Sifferlinger, Milijenko & Miljenka Smokvina, Graf Wolfgang Stubenberg & family, Kathleen Swift Thompson, Baroness Agathe von Trapp, Amanda von Trapp, August Reed von Trapp, Barbara von Trapp Crandall, Bourgi von Trapp, Baroness Eleonore von Trapp Campbell & Hugh Campbell, Elisabeth von Trapp & Ed Hall, Francoise von Trapp, George & Patricia von Trapp, Baroness Hedwig von Trapp, Baroness Johanna von Trapp Winter & Prof. Ernst Florian Winter, Baron Johannes & Lynne von Trapp, Kristianna von Trapp Frame & Walter Frame, Baroness Maria Franziska von Trapp, Martin & Kelly von Trapp, Baroness Martina von Trapp Dupiere & Jean Dupiere, Melanie von Trapp, Baroness Rosmarie von Trapp, Baron Dr. Rupert von Trapp & Henriette Lajoie von Trapp & Janice Tyre von Trapp, Sam von Trapp, Stefan & Annie von Trapp, Sofia von Trapp, Tobi & Sally von Trapp, Baron Werner von Trapp & Erika von Trapp, Dips. Ing. Joško Vretenar, Mäx Walterskirchen, Christopher & Annabel Whitehead, Peter & Analia Whitehead, Florian Winter, Severin Winter, and countless others.
Organizations— Heeresgeschichtliches Museum (Military Museum, Vienna, Austria), Marinekameradschaft Salzburg (Marine Club, Salzburg, Austria), Maritime and History Museum of the Croatian Littoral (Rijeka, Croatia), Porto Montenegro Naval Heritage Collection Museum, PRO TORPEDO - Rijeka (Rijeka, Croatia), and Stichting Industriecultuur Nederland (Dutch Foundation for Industrial Culture).
Photo: © Shela Gobertina von Trapp
Johanna II von Trapp
Founder, Vice-President
Johanna II is the Founder & Vice-President of the Georg & Agathe Foundation and the Co-Founder & Director of Celebrity Legacy. She is passionate about the importance of the arts in ones' life and believes that knowing your family's past and collective history can be insightful, enriching, and foster connection. Johanna II has spent many years compiling information on the various branches of her family tree; she is currently researching her matrilineal line towards publishing a future book. She speaks internationally to the changing role of women through the ages by highlighting the extraordinary women from her diverse heritage, as well as topics on the Austro-Hungarian navy, Captain Georg von Trapp, and Robert Whitehead.
Family connection: Johanna is a granddaughter of Baron Captain Georg von Trapp, WWI naval hero and father of the von Trapp children—whose family's life story inspired the world-renowned musical, The Sound of Music—and his first wife Agathe Gobertina Whitehead, daughter and granddaughter of British engineers Cavaliere (Knight) John Whitehead and Baron Robert Whitehead—inventor of the torpedo. Johanna II is a daughter of Baroness Johanna von Trapp of the Trapp Family Singers, portrayed as the second youngest von Trapp child, 'Marta' in the play and film.
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ABOUT: Leadership
Honoring the von Trapp
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Georg & Agathe FOUNDATION
Mother and Daughter
The Georg & Agathe Foundation was founded by mother and daughter, Johanna II von Trapp and Shela Gobertina von Trapp, granddaughter and great-granddaughter to Baron Captain Georg von Trapp and Agathe Gobertina Whitehead.
From Idea to Foundation
"Once you know your history, everything is illuminated." - Anonymous
Johanna II and Shela's journey from mere interest in family history to today's real passion to share their family's legacies, all started with a simple project by Johanna II. Several years ago, she set out to collect stories about her mother Baroness Johanna von Trapp (Georg and Agathe's fourth daughter) to preserve her story and share it with the next generation. Inspired by her 'Mutti Stories' project ('Mutti' meaning 'Mom' in Austrian), both Johanna II and Shela discovered many unknown generations on their family tree. The experience was so enriching to see how common threads are passed down through the generations, that they now encourage others to explore their family histories and try to understand them in historical context. Their aspiration is to honor their family's memory and heritage for their profound examples of humanity, artistic talent, and generosity-of-spirit.