World War II references

[DucksRMagical]

Did anyone else notice the similarities between World War II and the book? I did.

-Voldy's hatred of Muggles and Muggle borns = Hitler's hatred of Jews, Catholics, Gypsies, etc

-Voldy taking over the Ministry and Hogwarts = Hitler's takeover of government and schools

-The prison that Grindelwald started (can't remember the name and someone else is currently reading the book!) is like the concentration camps.

[Scellanis]

You know, I think most wars fictional or real probably work the same way....

Whats the point of being evil if you aren't going to be power hungry and then loose in the end.

[zledm007]

If you want, you could even throw the end of both Voldemort and Hitler on that list. In a way, Voldemort did kind of kill himself.

[DucksRMagical]

He did pretty much kill himself. I like how JKR did that. Harry never really killed Voldy. At least, he never did the Avada Kedavra. Harry never had to stoop to Voldy's level to finish him off. He just did his signature 'Expelliarmus'

[Scellanis]

Yes, that was very clever, the killing spell had all the malice that it needed from Voldemort to work but Harry didn't need to provide any of it or say the words.

[zledm007]

It was the ultimate disarming....

[DucksRMagical]

I had wondered how Harry was going to kill Voldy. I didn't think he'd actually be able to use Avada Kedarva on him. It's so evil, and Harry is always giving people second chances and helping those who he doesn't like. Kind of like how he saved Malfoy and Goyle.

[ElineV]

yep;did recognise it;
also:
- muggleborns must sign up; first in order to investigate why they got magic power; but later on to be sentenced (is that correct spelling? Iam dutch)
compare; jews in the beginning years of the nazi regime

- magic is might; compare; arbeit macht frei (in auswitschz)

[Petronella_Pettigrew]

Grindelwald was defeated in 1945, the same year Hitler was defeated in Berlin (I know it's not a voldy-related coincidence, but interesting none the less!)

[Run Away!!!]

Nobody actually knows who Hitler's father is for real but a lot of historians believe that his father may have been jewish or part jewish and part of Hitler's hatred against Jews stemmed from his shame of his own heritage (we all know Hitler looks nothing like that superior Aryan race he tried to create), but this definately coincides with Voldemorts muggle father Tom Riddle and Voldemort's hatred for his father.

[Bextra]

I reckon that the references were intentional, coz Grindelwald could've imperiused Hitler or something.

[digby202]

Yes I too noticed that about 1945 being the final year of the Second world war..

Never thought about him imperiousing Hitler though.. I would think its unlikely we will ever find out now, but still an interesting side theory

[Run Away!!!]

JK might write something about it in the encyclopedia. It would be a likely twist that Hitler was imperiused.. and perhaps a lot of the people Hiter targeted were actually squibs or mudbloods living in the muggle world. And Grindelwald wanted wizards to rule over the muggle world... so lowering their numbers would be useful wouldn't it? considering that muggles outnumber wizards immensely.

[Augusta Longbottom]

Hmmm...this becomes a murky topic. I would highly doubt JKR would have backstory containing/implying that Hitler was imperiused because saying Hitler was imperiused leaves it open that Hitler was not actually the bad guy. That would grossly undermine the events of the Holocaust and would in all likelihood, offend readers.

[GodrictheGriffon]

I'm part Jewish. It doesn't really offend me.
And what about the statue with the muggle-thrones and such. I've heard that there was a statue like that somewhere in Germany with Jew's for the throne.