Trotha was born 1 March 1868 at Koblenz, at the time part of the Rhine Province of the Kingdom of Prussia.
tɹˈɑːθə wʌz bˈɔːɹn wˈʌn mˈɑːɹtʃ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti ˈeɪt æt kˈɑːblɛnts, æt ðə tˈaɪm pˈɑːɹt ʌvðə ɹˈaɪn pɹˈɑːvɪns ʌvðə kˈɪŋdəm ʌv pɹˈʌʃə.