Maria von Trapp was an Austrian nun and singer, best known as the matriarch of the Trapp Family Singers. Born in 1905, she became a governess for the children of Georg von Trapp, a widowed naval captain. Her life inspired the famous musical and film, The Sound of Music, which depicts her journey from the abbey to the von Trapp family home. After fleeing Austria during World War II, Maria and her family settled in the United States. They continued to perform as a singing group, sharing their music and experiences. Maria later wrote her autobiography, titled The Story of the Trapp Family Singers.