tɹˈɑːθə wʌzðə θˈɜːd sˈʌn ʌv kˈɑːɹl vˈɑːn tɹˈɑːθə wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi fˈoːɹ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti, hˌuː wʌz kˈɪld ɪnðə fɹˈæŋkoʊpɹˈʌʃən wˈɔːɹ, wˌɛn hɪz sˈʌn wʌz ˈoʊnli tˈuː jˈɪɹz ˈoʊld.
Trotha was the third son of Karl von Trotha (1834–1870), who was killed in the Franco-Prussian War, when his son was only two years old.