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Samantha Raup
Mary Broussard
Independent Study
7 December 2015
Historical Parallelism in Harry Potter
Introduction
Have you any idea how much tyrants fear the people they oppress? All of them realize
that, one day, amongst their many victims, there is sure to be one who rises against them and
strikes back! (Half-Blood Prince 310). In this quote, J.K. Rowling beautifully illustrates the
idea of historical parallelism in the Harry Potter series. Similarity to real historic events is not
the only subject that Albus Dumbledore alludes to in this explanation to Harry Potter: it also
involves the ideas of the nature of evil, good triumphing over evil, and a hero emerging from the
oppressed. A very powerful tool for a fiction writer is history, as it offers plentiful allusions,
themes, characters, and events that can be transmuted into a universally appealing story. One of
the richest historical events to use for a fictional comparison is World War II, which is the most
well-known representation of evil in the modern era. Themes and motifs related to the Holocaust
specifically are myriad, but the most common are the human embodiment of evil (Hitler), the
realization of a goal shared by a group of people (the Final Solution), an atmosphere of terror,
and of course cultural genocide. Through the use of fictional characters and events, authors are
able to safely educate young readers about such dark themes and motifs, while keeping these
very real concepts at a distance. J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter series echoes the World War II era
in its key characters: the ideological dictator, the regime supporters, and the resistance
movements.

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Ideological Dictators
Hitlers ideology is largely paralleled in Voldemorts. Each despots system of beliefs
focused on the exploitation and exclusion of people on the basis of race (Curthoys 16). The
ideology behind the Nazi regime in World War II and consequently the Holocaust, masterminded
by Adolf Hitler, inspired the destruction of over six million Jewish lives alone and countless
others. Superficially, Hitler blamed the Jews for the conditions in Germany after World War I.
Under the 1919 Treaty of Versailles, the country was made to pay reparations, lost its colonies
and territories, was forced to reduce its military, and was even geographically divided. Germans
were extremely poor and living conditions were awful, so when Hitler stepped in and promised a
better life, he was supported by the people. Beneath this prejudice, however, laid an even more
deeply-rooted European issue with Jews. Hitler, an Austrian native, was raised in a society that
had long practiced anti-Semitisma belief that originated with an irrational fear of outsiders
with noticeably different ways (McKale 11).
Hitler considered eliminating the Jews more important than the war: in his own words,
The Jewish question takes priority over all other matters (Victor 197). Ones Jewish heritage
was defined by Nazis as having any Jewish family member, no matter how distant. J.K. Rowling
stated on her author webpage, in reference to blood classification systems, that a single Jewish
grandparent polluted the blood, according to [Nazi] propaganda. According to Bryan Rigg,
author of Hitlers Jewish Soldiers: The Untold Story of Nazi Racial Laws and Men of Jewish
Descent in the German Military, a child is considered Jewish by birth; the parents pass on their
Jewish identity to any offspring, regardless of the childs opinion on the matter (7). Interestingly,
the term Mischling was used to identify people as partially Jewish, and the rights of these socalled half-breeds were taken away under the Nuremberg Laws of 1935 (Rigg 20-23). Hitlers

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overarching ideology of ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Fhrer (translated as one people, one land, one
leader) was the driving motivation behind his actions during World War II. The Volk in this
case refers to the Aryan people, a race of superior beings who had blond hair and blue eyes,
and were tall and muscular. Indeed, Hitlers ultimate goal was to exterminate all those who did
not align with his Aryan ideal, which included other populations such as gypsies, homosexuals,
the handicapped, Romanians, and Poles. In the Fhrers mind, the elimination of all non-Aryans
and the systematic takeover of nations bordering Germany were necessary steps in achieving
what can be considered a plan for world domination.
In many important ways, Voldemorts ideology is strikingly similar to Hitlers. Both the
superficial scapegoating of and the deep-rooted historical prejudice against a certain people
appear in Voldemorts pro-Pure-Blood regime. The classification of blood status in Harry Potter
is important to note. A magical child born to an entirely magical lineage is considered a PureBlood; a magical child born to a lineage that includes even one Muggle, or non-magical person,
is considered a Half-Blood; a magical child born to a lineage that is entirely Muggle is a
Muggle-Born, or pejoratively a Mudblood; and a non-magical child born to a magical
lineage is called a Squib. Voldemorts regime was directed against both Muggle-Borns and
Half-Bloods, but does not specifically target Squibs, although they are considered disgraceful.
Just as Hitler grew up in an anti-Semitic atmosphere, so did Voldemort experience a
similar atmosphere of hatred when at school. As a student known by his birth name, Tom Riddle,
Voldemort was sorted into Slytherin house, a house with a reputation for cultivating cunning, sly
witches and wizards. In Chamber of Secrets, a professor explains that Salazar Slytherin, the
founder of Slytherin House and one of the founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and
Wizardry, wanted to exclude all pupils that were not of pure blood. Professor Binns states that

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the school was founded over a thousand years ago, putting the founding date before 990 AD
(Chamber of Secrets 150). Binns goes on to explain that Slytherin believed that magical
learning should be kept within all-magical families. He disliked admitting students of Muggle
parentage, believing them to be untrustworthy (Chamber of Secrets 150). In the same speech,
Binns shares the myth that Slytherin left a hidden chamber in the school that held a monster that
would, when freed by his heir, purge the school of all who were unworthy to study magic
(Chamber of Secrets 151). This myth could easily be compared to the European anti-Semitism
that culminated in the Holocaust, which was certainly an attempt to purge the world of the
unworthy.
After having lived with a group of students who shared this mindset of racial superiority
for several years, Voldemorts hatred for those not of pure blood became more focused when he
discovered who his parents were. As an abandoned child, Voldemort believed that his father had
been a powerful wizard and his mother a weak Muggle, because if his mother had been of
magical descent, she would not have done something as weak as dying. Later, upon discovering
the truth, he kills his Muggle father and grandfather in a furious rage. Thus, Voldemorts
personal connection with his public ideology comes from both his time at school and his
childhood.
Voldemorts prejudice also has additional historical roots outside of the Chamber of
Secrets. An invented sixteenth-century myth entitled The Wizard and the Hopping Pot,
published in a supplementary text called Tales of Beedle the Bard, involves prejudice against
Muggles. In this magical myth, a wizard inherits a pot after his fathers death. As the father was
well-known for helping the townspeople using magic, the son is approached for the same type of
aid. He refuses, and the pot sprouts a foot. The pot annoys the son night and day with the noise it

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makes by hopping, until finally the son provides the magical aid requested. The most salient line
from the tale itself is thus: Those who could not work magic were, to the sons mind, worthless,
and he had often quarreled with his fathers habit of dispensing magical aid to their neighbors
(Tales 2). The fact that this myth was published in the magical world hundreds of years in the
past clearly points to a history of anti-Muggle sentiment, much like Europes long-standing antiSemitism. Patient and Street concisely summarize the effect of this myth on the magical world:
an allusion to a racial consciousness that problematises the purity of wizarding blood and
informs the ideology of racial purity promoted by Voldemort and his Death Eaters (222).
Hitler and Voldemort share an important life experience: the death of a parent early in
life. The loss of their respective mothers also deeply affected each despot. Hitlers mother died
when he was eighteen, and her death devastated him; he never got along well with his father,
which certainly complicated Adolfs reaction to his mothers death (Adolf Hitler).
Voldemorts discovery of his parentage led him to hone his hatred of Muggles because he found
that his father, a presence that he had lamented as a young orphan, was a Muggle who did not
know that he, Voldemort, existed. Voldemort also discovered that his mother had died after
giving birth to him. It is explained that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named never felt the love of a
mothers touch and consequently did not develop or even experience any empathy, compassion,
or love his entire life (Deathly Hallows 709-10). These two mothers deaths affected their
totalitarian sons regimes by altering the sons personalities and outlooks on life.
Neither Hitler nor Voldemort fit their own ideal, but both were very physically
memorable. Hitler, a dark-haired, brown-eyed man of average height, was not the blond, blueeyed, tall Aryan, and Voldemort, a Half-Blood by his Muggle father, was not a Pure-blood. In a
2000 interview with Evan Solomon, J.K. Rowling said of this similarity that Voldemorts zeal

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for Mudbloodsis like Hitler and the Aryan ideal, to which he did not conform at all
himselfHe attempts to exterminate in [others] what he hates in himself. Additionally, both
dictators possessed a unique physical appearance that made them instantly identifiable. Hitlers
moustache and hair part can be attributed to him at first glance, and Voldemorts snake-like
features, including his eyes and lack of nose and hair, would instantaneously call him to mind.
Both also possessed a charismatic dimension: Hitler was able to charm an entire nation into
voting him into office with his believable promises, while Voldemort was able to charm people
into doing what he wanted both with his handsome features and with his well-chosen words
(Patient and Street 208).
Both namesAdolf Hitler and Lord Voldemortalso serve as a kind of separate
character from the actual person. The name Hitler began to take on a new connotation after
World War II that it has to this day: it is practically synonymous with evil. Again, in
Voldemorts case, the same sort of phenomenon occurred, but in a more intense way.
Voldemort is an invented name; the real characters name is Tom Riddle. He came up with the
name while a student at Hogwarts. Riddle hated his birth name, as it reminded him of his nonmagical father, and sought to create a new persona for himself with which he could gain power.
In fact, the name Voldemort can be separated into three French words: vol de mort, meaning
either theft of death or flight of death. Both meanings signify an escape from death, which
was one of Voldemorts goals: to become immortal. By creating Horcruxes, a process which
involves committing heinous crimes in order to split the soul and binding the parts of the soul to
an object, Voldemort pushed the limits of humanity and became an inhuman embodiment of evil
in the eyes of the wizarding community, much like Hitlers heinous crimes made him the same in
the eyes of the modern world.

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Both Hitler and Voldemort were known by a single moniker, and one that people were
afraid to mention. To use Hitlers name in Nazi Germany in any context other than praise or
agreement was to invite punishment, as a citizen could never really be sure if they were being
overheard or not. The use of Voldemorts name followed the same set of rules, but to an even
more extreme degree. In the earlier books, most characters do not dare speak Voldemorts name,
whether out of fear of calling up awful memories or out of conjuring the Dark wizard himself.
Indeed, nearly every young witch or wizard raised in a magical environment flinches when they
hear the name Voldemort, sometimes reacting in such an exaggerated way as to break whatever
they are holding. To avoid having to use this name, several euphemisms were created, such as
You-Know-Who, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and the Dark Lord.
Under both Hitler and Voldemort, the respective totalitarian regime inspired an
atmosphere of terror. Citizens were petrified for their lives and their families lives, and it
seemed that no one was safe; society was fundamentally changed. As stated by Patient and
Street, the following instances in the Harry Potter series reflect Nazi Germany: a growing sense
of a new ordera totalist ideology, society in crisis, monopolistic controls, a loss of individual
and democratic rights, the persecution of those who did not comply, and a secret police (207).
The societies were indeed in crisis due to the new totalitarian governments that stripped citizens
of their rights. In World War II, these were the Nuremberg Laws that stripped the so-called
Mischlinge (partial Jews) of many rights and activities, such as certain university studies
[and] specific civilian and military occupations (Rigg 23). In Deathly Hallows, Muggle-borns
are forced to identify themselves and give up their wands under what is called the Muggle-Born
Registration Commission. A wand is the the singular most important thing that a witch or
wizard possesses. These supposed inferiors are to fill out questionnaires about their family

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history and are subject to a hearing, much like Jews, especially those in German military employ
during World War II (Rigg 200). One wizard went so far as to fake his family tree in order to
escape the intended punishment of being of non-magical descent (Deathly Hallows 255). Of
course, these Ministry of Magic hearings are stacked against the accused; in the one hearing that
appears in Deathly Hallows, the accuser directly states, you are not a witch. I have your
responses to the questionnaire that was sent to you here [] Parents professions:
greengrocers (261). Here, the accuser belittles and undermines the victim for no other reason
than her own savage pleasure. Such was the procedure for many of the historical hearings that
Jews underwent in Nazi Germany to be granted an exception from the Nuremberg Laws; if the
Jew in question did not have an in with anyone involved in the trial, they could expect to be
ridiculed and convicted (Rigg 98). The people forced to undergo these trialsnon-Aryans and
non-Pure-Bloodswere harmless, thus rendering the hearings a form of cruel, unnecessary
punishmentyet another cruel, unnecessary punishment laid upon the innocent in World War II
and the war between Voldemort and the magical world.
Voldemorts stance on Half-Bloodsthose of mixed magical and Muggle blood
parallels Hitlers stance on half-Jews. Bernhard Lsener, an employee of the Reich Ministry of
the Interior, stated:
I may point out that the Fhrer has, in addition to normal acts of grace, granted the status
of racial Germans to a large number of officers and officers wives who were [half-Jews]
and that hed promised to a large number of [half-Jews]the same status after the war, if
they proved their worth during the war. (Holocaust 215-217)
This historical evidence clearly parallels the case of Severus Snape, who was a Half-Blood in
Voldemorts employ. Snape implored the Dark Lord to spare Lily Potter, a Muggle-born witch

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he had loved since childhood, from death. Although Lily was not Snapes wife, at first,
Voldemort agreed to spare her, but ultimately kills her to achieve his own ends. After his original
downfall the night he killed Lily Potter, Voldemort needed to use much more stealth for his
second rising. Interestingly, Hitler knowingly employed several people of Jewish descent in his
inner circle. Perhaps the most notable case of a potentially Jewish Nazi was that of Reinhard
Heydrich, a high-ranking official in Hitlers regime. Despite the fact that it was never proven that
Heydrich was of Jewish descent, the rumor that he was persisted (Rigg 176-177). Hitler
ultimately decided that Heydrichs ability to forward his movement outweighed [his] offensive
characteristic of beingof Jewish descent (Rigg 200). Like Hitler, Voldemort also knowingly
employed a person who belonged to the hated race: Severus Snape, the Half-Blood Prince.
Snape was part of a group of Death Eaters while a student at Hogwarts, and later became one of
Voldemorts right-hand men. Perhaps not surprisingly, Snape is portrayed as stereotypically
Jewish: cunning, greasy-haired, and sallow-skinned (Nel 34) and with a hooked nose
(Acocella 77). As each dictator gained power, despite the racial backgrounds of their followers,
political domination was the logical next step.
The takeover of government was not difficult for either ruler. Hitler legally but
dishonestly obtained power after being named Chancellor by Hindenburg in 1933, then
becoming the full-fledged Fhrer after Hindenburgs death a year later (Le Faou). Hitlers
platform was largely based on creating scapegoats out of the Jews, as well as providing food and
work to Germans; however, he never mentioned his ultimate plan, which would become known
as the Final Solution. Once installed in office, the self-appointed title Fhrer (leader) lent him
a superhuman air, much like Voldemorts self-appointed title Lord. Voldemorts takeover of
the Ministry of Magic was not as legal as Hitlers, but was virtually silent (Deathly Hallows

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207). In Order of the Phoenix, Remus Lupin explains the aftermath of Voldemorts return,
before overtaking the government:
While the Ministry insists there is nothing to fear from Voldemort, its hard to convince
people hes back, especially as they dont really want to believe it in the first place.
Whats more, the Ministrys leaning heavily on the Daily Prophet not to report any of
what theyre calling Dumbledores rumor-mongering, so most of the Wizarding
community are completely unaware anythings happened, and that makes them easy
targets for the Death Eaters (94)
Much of the public opinion about Voldemorts return parallels the reaction to the beginning of
the Holocaust, when people were desperate not to believe the evil that was happening. Like in
Harry Potter, the government attempted to deny the charges. However, after slowly infiltrating
the government with well-placed operatives through a series of murky mind games over the
course of two books, Voldemort is able to secretly overtake the Ministry of Magic. This basic
difference in rise to power is perhaps due to the fact that Voldemort was much more notorious
than Hitler in the timeframe of the Harry Potter series; he had already led a totalitarian regime
that had ended some thirteen years prior to the series. Voldemort coming back into power was
the magical equivalent of Hitler coming back into power in 1958. Imagine the terror that such an
event would have caused around the world! Thus, it was quite necessary for Voldemort to
silently infiltrate the government rather than outright taking it over.
The myriad parallels between Hitler and Voldemort clearly indicate volition on the
authors part to make the connection strong. Drawing characteristics from one of historys most
notorious dictators, J.K. Rowling ensured that the magical worlds reaction to Voldemort would
be as strong as our worlds reaction to Hitler. The echoes of World War II in the magical war of

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the Harry Potter series culminates in these two players, but exists in other domains as well,
notably those underneath the dictatorsthe loyal followersand those fighting against the
regime: the resistance.
Loyal Followers
Under each of these dictators was of course a group of loyal followers. For Hitler, this
group was broadly known as the Nazis, and for Voldemort, the Death Eaters. Both groups have
outward symbols that represent fear and death: for the Nazis, the swastika, and for the Death
Eaters, the Dark Markan image of a snake protruding from a skulls mouth. The names of the
groups symbolize the ideology behind their respective movements. According to Google
Dictionary, the word Nazi is a German abbreviation representing the pronunciation of Nati- in
Nationalsozialist[, meaning] national socialist. In Harry Potter, the term Death Eater implies
that these people eat death, which is Voldemorts ultimate personal goal: to be immortal. This
term also implies a certain lack of respect for death, which is certainly true of many of these
sadistic followers who seem to enjoy torturing and killing.
Many citizens supported these regimes in different ways. Of course, not all people
actively sought roles in the movements, but a large number of Europeans and magical citizens
complied with Nazi and Dark rule. To not comply was, in many peoples minds, to sacrifice their
lives and their loved ones lives. In Nazi Europe, many citizens collaborated by compliance,
especially in France. Some French citizens considered themselves above active participation in
either side, and decided to take no action whatsoever (Le Faou). Not being of Jewish descent did
not seem to have a great deal of influence on whether or not a French citizen made the decision
to act. Thus, compliance was prevalent amongst French citizens. Blood status in Harry Potter
interestingly did not have as much of a polarizing effect on supporting or not supporting

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Voldemort as one might expect. Although all Death Eaters (except Snape) were presumably
Pure-bloods, not all Pure-bloods were Death Eaters; the most visible Pure-bloods that were not
Death Eaters were the Longbottoms, the Weasleys, and Sirius Black. However, many Purebloods were Death Eaters, or at least sympathized with their cause. The Malfoy family is a prime
example of Pure-bloods supporting Voldemorts regime. Lucius, the father, is a Death Eater in
Voldemorts inner circle; Narcissa, the mother, supports the regime; Bellatrix, Narcissas sister,
sycophantically supports Voldemorts every move; and Draco, the son, is raised in this
environment and unsurprisingly joins the Death Eaters at a young age. The male Malfoys possess
pale skin and fair hairan Aryan-like appearance (Park 184).
Each group recruits those who follow their ideology and plays mind games to both enlist
and trick people into turning in their friends and neighbors. For Nazis, many of these mind
games were found in the indoctrination taught in German schools. According to Voigtlnder and
Voth, German youth had compulsory school attendance [and] had to join the Hitler Youth, [an
extracurricular activity] where indoctrination continued (7931). Additionally, propaganda
messages embedded in books and films reinforced indoctrination (Voigtlnder and Voth 7931).
Not only did the Nazis brainwash children into sharing their beliefs, but they also identified
specific ways in which to appeal to large groups of citizens. Haig Bosmajian states that Hitler
and his fellow Nazis presented speeches and symbols that appealed to the crowd mentality
(68). Such targeting allowed the Nazis to manipulate the German people into supporting his
totalitarian regime.
Manipulation is more accessible for the Death Eaters due to their magical powers. Death
Eaters often manipulate others using one of the Unforgivable Curses: Imperio, a spell that allows
the caster to control the mind of the victim; Crucio, a spell that causes intense pain; and Avada

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Kedavra, the Killing Curse. Although there are few scenes in which the reader is shown the
process of Death Eaters extracting information, it is sufficiently hinted at offstage enough that
the reader is aware that it happens. In Deathly Hallows specifically, the Death Eaters put a
Taboo on Voldemorts name such that if the name is spoken, any Death Eater can appear
where the speaker is. As Ron explains, [T]he names been jinxedthats how [the Death
Eaters] track peopleIt was only the people who were serious about standing up to himwho
ever dared use it. Now [the Death Eaters] have put a Taboo on it, anyone who says it is
trackable (Deathly Hallows 389-390). Such an ingenious manner of tracking was probably a
Death Eaters idea of making their job easier; like Nazis, Death Eaters seemed to enjoy what
their job entailed.
The Death Eaters can be compared to other groups within the Nazi regime, notably the
Waffen SS and the Gestapo. The Waffen SS was comprised of multiple subgroups of the overall
Schutzstaffel, or SS, meaning protective echelon (Corps of Nazi Party). Their duties
included protecting Hitler, completing missions mandated by Hitler, policing concentration
camps, and [serving] as elite combat troops (Corps of Nazi Party). The Gestapo, which is an
abbreviation for Geheime Staatspolizei, or secret state police, was in charge of eliminat[ing]
opposition to the Nazis within Germany[and] was responsible for the roundup of Jews
throughout Europe for deportation to extermination camps (Nazi Political Police). Donald
McKale explains that the Gestapo had considerable freedom to charge the victims and
recommend punishments, and most embraced their role in persecution to murder cruelly,
efficiently, and willfully (McKale 432; Johnson 21). Thus, Voldemorts Death Eaters are
comparable to these Nazi subgroups in terms of not only responsibilities and duties, but also

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attitude towards said responsibilities and duties. Each group took a sadistic pleasure in their
duties and earned their title underneath their respective dictator.
Propaganda is used by each totalitarian regime, presumably directed by the dictator and
carried out by the followers. In Deathly Hallows, Harry discovers a propaganda pamphlet that
could easily have been an anti-Jewish pamphlet in 1940s Germany:
Its pink cover was emblazoned with a golden title: MUDBLOODS and the Dangers
They Pose to a Peaceful Pure-Blood Society. Beneath the title was a picture of a red rose
with a simpering face in the middle of its petals, being strangled by a green weed with
fangs and a scowl. (249).
This description is eerily similar to Nazi propaganda pamphlets and film posters in World War
II. An excerpt from an anti-Jewish pamphlet in 1934 reads The goal of the Jew is to make
himself the ruler of humanity. Wherever he comes, he destroys works of culture (Patient and
Street 219). A bit further on in their article Holocaust History Amongst the Hallows, Patient
and Street mention the 1940 propaganda film The Eternal Jew. The posters for this film depict a
stereotypical Jew with a long, hooked nose and payot (long ringlets of hair) by his ears, his head
tilted slightly forward and his eyes staring menacingly out at the onlooker. Variations of this
poster show basically the same man, but without payot and with the addition of a sneer and a
Star of David superimposed over the mans forehead. These stereotypical, cartoonish images of
Jews are meant to inspire hatred in the onlooker, as well as to aesthetically destabilize any
feeling of sympathy: after all, how could one sympathize with this monstrous creature?
In terms of specific events, the events of November 9, 1938 (Kristallnacht, or the Night
of Broken Glass) are quite similar to the events of the Quidditch World Cup in terms of logic
and effects. During Kristallnacht, Nazis and various other groups destroyed, burned, and

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plundered more than one thousand synagogues and over seven thousand Jewish businesses
(McKale 109). This night of violence led to even more vandalizing of Jewishprivate homes,
and in the abuse, torturing, and arbitrary arrests of Jews (McKale 106). At the Quidditch World
Cup, a sports-related gathering of magical peoples from around the world, a group of masked
Death Eaters tortures and embarrasses a Muggle family by suspending them upside-down several
feet in the air. People and things are trampled and set ablaze in the mass exodus from the area.
Like Kristallnacht, debris and fire are symbolic of these horrifically violent events. When Harry
asks the reason the Death Eaters would do such a thing, Arthur Weasley responds [T]hats their
idea of funI suppose theycouldnt resist reminding us all that lots of them are still at large
(Goblet of Fire 143).
The Dark Mark, Voldemorts symbol that is projected into the sky at the Quidditch
World Cup, is much like the swastika in that it represents the dictators regime better than words;
the mere sight of the symbol invokes a strong reaction. Each symbol is left at the scene of crimes
committed by the group: in World War II, party members defaced Jewish stores with signs
bearing swastikas [and] marked clinics and lawyers offices (McKale 106). In Goblet of Fire,
Arthur Weasley explains that [Voldemort] and his followers sent the Dark Mark into the air
whenever they killed (142). Thus, these symbols were not only associated with the regime, but
with the violent crimes committed in the name of the dictator.
Such ties of violence would theoretically bind the supporters to their leader, but human
nature sometimes forces people to act in their own interests, and the greater regime be damned.
In the cases of Hitler and Voldemort, the ties binding the followers to the leader were not strong
enough to inspire loyalty after the dictators fall. After the fall of their dictator, each group of
followers dispersed. To escape conviction, many of these supporters claimed either new

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identities or that they had been brainwashed. Many Nazis fled to South America, where it is
estimated over 9,000 war criminals adopted new personas and many lived out the remainder of
their lives (How 9,000 Nazis Fled). The Death Eaters mainly claimed that they had been
hoodwinked or blackmailed into participating. Bill Weasley explains, [Death Eaters] worked
very hard to keep out of Azkaban [prison] when You-Know-Who lost power, and told all sorts of
lies about him forcing them to kill and torture people (Goblet of Fire 143). The escape of these
once-devoted followers undermines their previous reassurances of support for their dictator; both
groups turned introspective and selfish after the fall of their regime. Each member acted in his or
her own best interests at the time instead of rallying and electing a new leader. In this way, Hitler
and Voldemort can be seen as the main connectors between the followers and the ideology.
Without these heads of state, the regimes likely either would not have taken place or would have
proceeded at a much slower pace.
Resistance Fighters
Fighting against the Nazis and Death Eaters were the Resistance and the Order of the
Phoenix, respectively. The Order of the Phoenix is a magical resistance group that was active in
the war that occurred prior to the Harry Potter series timeframe and which was resurrected in
the war that begins at the end of Goblet of Fire. The choice of name for the fictional organization
is top notch: the phoenix is a mythical creature that is reborn from the ashes, which is a powerful
image for a resistance movement that arises from an oppressed people, as well as for a war,
calling to mind the rubble and ashes of destroyed lives. Society is born out of the ashes of the
previous war, falls into war again, and returns to the state of rubble. Both of these organizations
had brave, dedicated members willing to risk their lives for the cause and various means of

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resistance, and were so wide-spread and secretive that one could not hope to know all the
members.
Both organizations encapsulated many different means of resistance, including
clandestine newspapers and radio broadcasts. During World War II, Jewish newspapers were
banned in 1939, but until their ban [] frequently printed material that their readers knew to
read between the lines because it protested, in disguised fashion, the regimes anti-Semitism
(McKale 66). Indeed, those newspapers that openly criticized the regime were immediately
banned and their editors severely punished (McKale 66). Resistance broadcasters bravely
communicated information over the radio, but constantly had to move around and each broadcast
had a life expectancy of only two months (Le Faou). These examples of resistance movements
against the totalitarian regime are echoed in Harry Potter. In Order of the Phoenix, Harry gives
an interview about Voldemorts return to The Quibbler, an independently-owned magazine that
is subsequently banned from the school due to the nature of the interview. In Deathly Hallows,
the Order puts on a radio broadcast named Potterwatch, in which they announce recent deaths
and disappearances, share any updates in the resistance or the regime, and encourage to the other
resistance fighters. Like the radio broadcasters during World War II, the Order had to move
around quite a bit to avoid capture, and added an additional layer of security: a required
password to listen, told only by word of mouth. These resistance movements against the
totalitarian regimes represent the handful of people [that] actively and courageously opposed
the dictators (McKale 437).
Two very similar incidences of resistance fighters tortured in the line of duty are notable:
in World War II, Jean Moulin, and in Harry Potter, Frank and Alice Longbottom. Moulin was
captured by the Gestapo and tortured, but never gave away any information about the Resistance.

Raup 18
In the same way, the Longbottoms were tortured to insanity but never said a word. Both sets of
victims were survived by family, on whose shoulders resided the legacy of these brave people. In
regards to Moulins death, his sister Laure states that it was at the limits of human suffering,
without revealing a single secret, and he knew them all (Clinton). Frank and Alice Longbottom
are survived by their son, Neville, and Franks mother, Augusta. Dumbledore explains the attack
on the Longbottoms to Harry in Goblet of Fire: [they] were tortured for information about
Voldemorts whereabouts after he lost his powers (602). It is interesting that Voldemorts
supporters would think that resistance fighters had information about his whereabouts, as if they
suspected their leader had been captured and was a prisoner of war. Rowling adds another tragic
element to the Longbottoms story: they were driven insane by the attack and no longer
recognize their son, Neville. Later on in the Harry Potter series, the trio sees the Longbottoms at
St. Mungos Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, at which time Augusta Longbottom
reprimands Neville for not having announced who his parents were: You should be proud,
Neville, proud! They didnt give their health and their sanity so their only son would be ashamed
of them, you know! (Order of the Phoenix 314). These heroic individuals that were tortured for
their cause exemplify the ideals of any resistance: courage and bravery in the face of evil and
loyalty to the cause.
A specific movement during World War II that is mirrored in Harry Potter is organized
educational resistance. As education was in the 1940s, as it is today, a valued part of raising a
child, many people took it upon themselves to educate Jewish children in secret. Such
clandestine schools were found in ghettos and even concentration camps, proving the utmost
value of education to these Jewish people. Interestingly, some students reported enjoying
learning in the ghetto schools more than in regular schools. In a 1999 interview, an individual

Raup 19
who had attended a clandestine Jewish school and who did not wish to publish their name stated
that they learn[ing] more in [a] few months than in [the rest of] my school years (Kardos 59).
Such increased enjoyment of learning could be due to more innovative teachers, a lack of strict
curriculum guides, or the clandestine setting, which lends an air of secretiveness to the activity
that is not found in a normal school. The learning in concentration camps is described by Rabbi
Bernard Maza as strengthen[ing][the victims] gained new power to withstand their
sufferings (qtd. in Kardos 60). Additionally, the effect of the secret schooling is a spark of selfconfidence, which leads [to] greater self-control and self-discipline (Jehoshuah Eibeshitz qtd. in
Kardos 61). This message is very telling about the nature of learning: it is something that is
instinctual, something that can act as an attainable goal despite even the most unimaginable
circumstances, and something that can function as a talisman to guide people through the very
worst of times.
The secret Jewish educational meetings were much like the meetings of the group called
Dumbledores Army in Order of the Phoenix. This group was formed in what can be
considered an occupied Hogwarts, as the magical school was under the totalitarian rule of
Dolores Umbridge at the time. Umbridges role at Hogwarts was mainly one of control:
controlling the subject matter taught to students, the manner in which the content was taught, and
students free activities as well. Upon learning that Umbridge expects young witches and wizards
to learn magic from theory onlythe equivalent of expecting a painter to be able to master a
technique having only read theoretical material about itHermione decides to take matters into
her own hands and creates Dumbledores Army, a student group dedicated to teaching practical
defensive skills. The group is in direct violation of one of Umbridges decrees, and thus must
meet discreetly. This secret organization continues to exist even after Umbridge leaves the

Raup 20
school, and becomes very important to the student body in Deathly Hallows, when the school is
occupied by Death Eaters. The conditions are atrocious under this regime; students are tortured
for the even the smallest offense. As the occupation of the school changed, so did Dumbledores
Army: under Umbridge, it was a means of passive resistance and education, but under the Death
Eaters, it acts as a channel for active resistance. Both Dumbledores Army and the clandestine
Jewish schools are alike in their need for secrecy, passion for educating students about necessary
topics, and lasting impact on students.
The Effect of These Similarities on Readers
As many great orators have put it, it is important to understand the past to understand the
present and future. Reading literature benefits us in many ways, but in the case of historical
fiction especially, it provides the reader with a viewpoint through which they can experience
historical events. World War II is an enormous, complex topic that cannot easily be understood,
especially by children and even adolescents. To truly comprehend the reasoning behind
something like the Holocaust is not easy, especially when one is confronted with it directly in a
class or museum. This tailoring of the telling is partly why Anne Franks diary is so often used to
teach the Holocaust: it provides an individuals story through which we see parts of the whole. It
also allows readers to connect emotionally with the story. Without a name or face to attach to a
person undergoing such a persecution, the millions of Jews killed are just that: a number. The
allusions to World War II, the Holocaust, and Hitler in Harry Potter take this idea one step
further. The individual in this case is fictional, as are the events. A reader does not need to know
about Hitler to see Voldemort as the epitome of human evil, and then when that reader learns
about World War II, they realize that they have already encountered large parts of the story
through a beloved childrens book series. Harry Potter allows readers to experience systematic

Raup 21
genocide not only from a distance, but (for the most part) through the eyes of the hero, thus
putting the reader in the heros position. The emotional connection with a book series like Harry
Potter allows readers to more deeply understand the complex historical themes at play.
Part of the reason the Harry Potter books are so popular is that they exist within their
own very real world. A child Harry Potter fan would not hesitate to explain the difference
between a Hufflepuff and a Gryffindor, the rules of Quidditch, or the way to get into Diagon
Alley. The universally appealing story of good triumphing over evil and love winning out adds to
this appeal, of course. Another aspect of the series that contributes to its popularity is its
maturation. The Harry Potter generationthe generation of kids that read the Harry Potter
books as they were publishedhad the unique advantage of maturing with the novels, so that
they were roughly the same age as the protagonists in the story. Regardless, no matter when in
his or her life a reader picks up the Harry Potter series, it becomes more complex and dark
towards the final installment, finally culminating in self-sacrifice and an epic battle scene
perhaps reminiscent of Stalingrad. The use of World War II and Holocaust imagery and
parallelism in Harry Potter adds a historically educational aspect as well. After all, as said by
Dumbledore, it [is] importantto fight, and fight again, and keep fighting, for only then [can]
evil be kept at bay, though never quite eradicated (Half-Blood Prince 645).

Raup 22
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