Across the Fence: Edelweiss

Think of one of the flowers you associate with German-speaking countries – and you might come up with Edelweiss. In German it is spelled with an “ß“, Edelweiß, but pronounced the same as in English; the name means simply “noble white”. There are other Germanic nicknames, and different languages call it different names – but every single one signifies that it is singular and revered. What makes this flower so special that pretty much every American not just knows what it looks like but also comes up with a melody from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “The Sound of Music”?

First of all, this composite flower is scarce and short-lived, and thrives in high altitudes between approximately 6,000 and 10,000 feet. Its habitat is often rocky limestone. Combine height, difficult area, and availability, and it already counts for something very special. Its medical values assign it as helpful with tummy aches, heart issues, and breathing issues. Dried in a bouquet, it lasts almost forever. Theoretically – because you are not supposed to pluck this flower anywhere. Add heart issue, hardy, and forever – and the flower becomes a symbol for courageous love, as in mountaineering to gather the prize. There are even myths about the flowers being tears of an ice princess about her lover’s faithlessness. Of course, the story about Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria picking one and handing it to his wife, legendary Empress Sisi, as the first flower he ever picked, increased the popularity of the plant. Especially, since Empress Sisi is pictured in quite a few photos with artificial Edelweiss in her hair in later years.

What fascinates me far more is that what we conceive as petals are not that at all. They are hairy leaves which catch humidity from the air. As the humid leaves reflect the light, they lure pollinators to the real flowers, teensy accumulations in the hundreds in the middle of the stem. Nature’s miracles …

As to Rodgers and Hammerstein, they apparently managed to make many people think that “Edelweiss” was the Austrian national anthem. It never was. There never even have been any German words to the song that Captain von Trapp is singing in the musical. Actor Christopher Plummer sang himself, but his voice never made it onto the soundtrack we know – it’s actually that of playback singer William “Bill” Lee. I found the link for you in which Plummer is singing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obEm1Mqm7C0&t=17s&ab_channel=MarkM. The song is meant as a love declaration to Austria. As it was composed after WW II, it is also clear that it had nothing to do with white supremacy Naziism but was meant to sound like an Austrian folksong celebrating Austrian patriotism in the face of German oppression.

During the Third Reich, there also was a youth resistance called the Edelweißpiraten (pronounce ‘ehdle-vice-pee-‘ruh-tn, meaning edelweiss pirates). They had developed from the countless youth groups after WW I, when it was deemed helpful to gather youngsters suffering from poverty and/or lack of perspective. As they basically had opposite ideas and programs from the Hitler youth organizations (free speech, free movement, mixed genders), they were quickly banned and persecuted by the Nazis, one of their original hiking symbols, the edelweiss, becoming part of their Nazi nickname, which they quickly assumed for themselves.

Edelweiss, to this day, decorates countless Alpine items, such as brochures, hiking emblems, coins, jewelry, etc. It is also a symbol for military organizations operating in the mountains, for mountain rescue services, hiking associations, political parties, a Polish ice-hockey team, and a Swiss airline.

As to the song, the real von Trapp descendants are known to have performed the Rodgers and Hammerstein waltz melody, too. I have listened into their incredibly refined version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEjLS0OHWnQ&ab_channel=FIGBARFILMS but still prefer that of the original movie. Maybe, I like Christopher Plummer’s almost shy and wistful quality of voice even better than Bill Lee’s more confident one. But that’s a personal choice. Still, if you have never watched the movie, do – it’s one of those classics that never get old