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Proceedings of the Tenth Annual MadRush
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How Dumbledore Saved Europe: A Comparison of
Fascist Rhetoric in European History and in the
Harry Po!er Franchises
Emma Pederson
Natalie Rice
e Catholic University of America
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How Dumbledore Saved Europe:
A Comparison of Fascist Rhetoric in European History and in the Harry Potter Franchises
Emma Pederson & Natalie Rice
MadRush Undergraduate Research Conference
February 25, 2019
Pederson and Rice 1
Fascism is one of the most influential ideologies to come out of the 20th century. This
philosophy has guided governments, armed conflicts, and literature. Drawing on the Harry Potter
franchises, it is clear that fascist ideas have pervaded modern literature, even children’s
literature. A series of young adult fantasy novels and films, the Harry Potter franchise is loved by
people of all ages and nationalities. These stories draw on real-life themes to create some
realistic elements in an otherwise fantastic, magical world. Fascism is one such theme.
Parallels are often drawn between Voldemort, villain of the original Harry Potter series,
and Hitler or other fascist leaders, but Grindelwald, villain of the new Fantastic Beasts franchise,
has a more direct connection. If Grindelwald is a Nazi, Voldemort is a neo-Nazi, bringing back
fascist ideas from the early twentieth century and trying to implement them in the 1990s.
Grindelwald’s story takes place in the 1920s to 1940s, beginning with his fascist roots as a young
man alongside Albus Dumbledore, and following his rise to power in mainland Europe, setting
the same goals and using the same rhetoric and strategies as real-life French and German fascists
in the same time period.
These two characters - Grindelwald and Dumbledore - successfully depict the historical
roots of fascism in Germany and France, respectively. Grindelwald is better compared to
German fascist movements taken as a whole, rather than to one specific individual. He is fascism
personified. All the information the reader has regarding him, even his childhood, points to his
ultimate goal of magical domination. He has no notable significance other than to cause conflict,
and no motivation other than achieving power over Muggles, or non-Wizards. With the goal of
control over Muggles, his intentions match that of fascists who wanted to place themselves
Pederson and Rice 2
above other, less “pure” ethnic groups. In seeking to achieve this goal, both Grindelwald and the
real-life fascists he represents utilize similar tactics.
Albus Dumbledore, on the other hand, represents French fascist movements as a whole.
As a character, he was originally assumed to be entirely anti-fascist. It was not until the final
book in the original Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
, that Dumbledore
was outed by infamous reporter Rita Skeeter to have had extreme fascist roots with Grindelwald
in his youth. This is similar to French fascism. France is often historically mistaken to have been
entirely anti-German and anti-fascism during World War II due to its support of Britain and the
United States. Upon closer inspection, it is clear that France also held strong nationalistic
sentiments before the war.
Although fascism spread across Europe in the 20th century, we have chosen only to
remark on French and German fascism because they draw distinct parallels to the characters in
the Harry Potter franchises. Though the series takes place in England, it is French fascism and
France’s immunity thesis that directly correlates to Albus Dumbledore and German fascism to
Gellert Grindelwald. In addition, the fascism of Britain in the interwar period was opposed by
the English people and government to a much larger extent than both French and German
fascism. It never rose to the same prominence there, just as Grindelwald never became powerful
in England.
Grindelwald and Dumbledore as Fascism Embodied
In this paper, we will analyse J.K. Rowling’s use of fascism by comparing French and
German history to the events in the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts franchises. We will start by
Pederson and Rice 3
defining fascism and giving a brief summary of the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts franchises.
Then we will move onto French fascism, by explaining the roots of fascism in the Dreyfus affair
and how that lead to a French-first anti-semitic fascism at the turn of the 20th century. We will
give details of two French writers, Maurice Barrès and Charles Péguy, and their political
philosophies and literary works to link them to an understanding of Albus Dumbledore’s fascist
sentiments in his youth. We will then outline the French immunity thesis and compare this to the
view of Dumbledore in the Wizarding world until his death in 1996.
Next, we will delve into German fascism and the methods Nazis used to gain power,
which parallels Grindelwald’s rise. We will consider primary quotes from both Nazi figures and
Grindelwald to recognize similarities in ideologies and language. In some ways, Grindelwald
corresponds to Hitler, but the better comparison is between Grindelwald and the Nazi fascists as
a whole. Both heavily relied on mythologies, symbolism, and rhetoric to gain and sustain
support, manipulating followers by preying on their emotional responses. We will link these
strategies to show how real-world events are recognizable in this modern literature. Additionally,
we will address the differences that arise when viewing Grindelwald as an individual and the
Nazi Party as an institution.
The Story of Fascism
Fascism is a philosophy or movement that originated in late 19th- and early 20th-century
Europe. It is characterized by radical nationalism, often under a dictatorial regime, which
forcefully suppresses opposition. This radical nationalism creates an “us-versus-them” mentality
between different groups of people, which is often based on characteristics such as religion and
Pederson and Rice 4
race. In the 20th century, fascism was the primary political philosophy underlying French
writers, such as Maurice Barrès and Charles Péguy, as well as Adolf Hitler and Nazis in World
War II Germany.
Fascism rose to prominence in the aftermath of the First World War and led directly to
the Second World War. It was closely connected to other movements, including the National
Socialist Party’s takeover of the German government. Nazism as an ideology that incorporates
but is not limited to fascism. The Nazis clung to fascist ideas of racial purity and dictatorship, but
in a way that was specifically German. Meanwhile, fascism also gained prominence in many
other European nations. Although not a direct part of the Axis Powers of World War II, France
held similar this fascist ideology all the same. It existed primarily in the works of famous
political philosophers and writers, rather than taking a stronghold in the government the way it
did in Germany.
The Harry Potter Books and Films
In 1997, J.K. Rowling published the first book in one of the bestselling series of all time:
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
The popularity of this book spawned six sequels,
eight movies, a spin-off theater production, and a spin-off movie franchise. Undoubtedly, the
Harry Potter series has shaped the minds and hearts of a generation. This story of a boy Wizard
contains lessons on morality, good and evil, friendship, love, and of course, fascism.
On his eleventh birthday in 1991, Harry Potter is thrown into the Wizarding world, an
entire community of Witches and Wizards unknown to the Muggles. He attends Hogwarts
School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he not only learns how to do magic but he also
Pederson and Rice 5
discovers he is the legendary Boy Who Lived. As a child, he survived an attack by Voldemort,
an evil Wizard who sought power in England. He and his supporters, largely Purebloods
(Wizards of pure Wizarding lineage) discriminated against Half-Bloods and Muggle-Borns
(derogatorily known as Mudbloods).
The next six books detail Harry’s journey as he grows up, while the dark Wizard who
killed his parents regains power and wages war. With the help of friends Ron and Hermione and
mentor Dumbledore, Harry reveals Voldemort split his soul into seven pieces called Horcruxes.
On his quest, Harry uses three magical tools - the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the
Invisibility Cloak - collectively known as the Deathly Hallows. By united these folkloric items,
Harry becomes Master of Death. One he destroys the Horcruxes, Harry faces off against
Voldemort in a final duel, in which good triumphs over evil.
Five years after the release of the final Harry Potter movie, fans received a new addition
to the Wizarding world canon: the Fantastic Beasts franchise. Detailing the adventures of Newt
Scamander, the Fantastic Beasts franchise is a prequel to the Harry Potter stories. Scamander,
author of one of Harry’s textbooks, is only briefly mentioned in the original series. Though
known as a magizoologist, Scamander’s story is not limited to his relationship with magical
1
creatures. Instead, his story is placed in the context of the First Wizarding War. The series begins
in the 1920s and will culminate in Grindelwald’s defeat in 1945, a timeline which matches the
historical rise and fall of fascism in Europe. From the original Harry Potter series, viewers know
the war will end in a duel between Dark Wizard Gellert Grindelwald and Harry’s future
1
A Wizard who studies magical creatures; Scamander pioneered the field.
Pederson and Rice 6
instructor Albus Dumbledore, but since only two out of five movies in the series have been
released, much of the story remains a mystery.
As of 2018, the first two films have been released: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find
Them
and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
The first describes Scamander’s trip to
New York, which ends with the unmasking of the wanted criminal Gellert Grindelwald. The
second film focuses more heavily on Grindelwald’s character as he escapes from prison and
gathers support in Paris. The film ends with Grindelwald evading capture once again as he and
his supporters go out into the world to spread his message. The final three installments of the
series will span the following decades as Grindelwald achieves greater power and is ultimately
defeated. As noted in the original series, Dumbledore’s ultimate defeat over Grindelwald occurs
in 1945, the same year as Allies defeat over the Axis powers. This growth of fascist power and
the First Wizarding War can be understood as a direct parallel to the growth of fascist European
powers and World War II.
An Analysis of French Fascism in Relation to Albus Dumbledore
In the early 20th century growth of fascism, France certainly played a role. Despite its
reputation as a victim of fascism, it was in many ways a perpetrator as well. In the second film of
the Fantastic Beasts franchise, Grindelwald travels to Paris knowing he can find supporters who
already hold his anti-Muggle, or Les Non-Magiques, sentiments there. Here, in the heart of
France, the Grindelwald’s Wizarding fascist movement begins to take root.
Although by 1926, Dumbledore is publicly anti-Grindelwald, that had not always been
the case. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
, the release of Rita Skeeter’s book, The Life
Pederson and Rice 7
and Lies of Albus Dumbledore
, after Dumbledore’s death revealed his true fascist past. This
2
shocked Harry Potter, who had only known of Dumbledore’s part in the opposition of
Grindelwald’s and Voldemort’s fascism. Similarly, French fascism had been claimed by French
scholars in the years following World War II to be an entirely foreign concept, forced upon them
by other European powers.
Roots of French Fascism
The roots of French fascism were planted years before World War II. The first prominent
appearance of these sentiments in popular society bloomed alongside outward anti-semitism
during the Dreyfus affair. In 1894, a Jewish army officer named Alfred Dreyfus was accused of
giving confidential military information to the Germans and thus, terminated from the military.
3
This event - along with its widespread media attention from the new mass press - created a great
polarization among the French. On one side, there were the Dreyfusards, who supported Dreyfus
and maintained his innocence. On the other were the Anti-Dreyfusards. Out of this polarization
and a growing movement for a more patriotic nationalism, fascist organizations like Charles
Maurras’ l’Action Française were born.
4
This nationalist right held, at the beginning of the 20th century, that their love of France
and their desire for a better nation, and thus a better world, created a justification for a fascist
France-above-all sentiment. Eugen Weber writes in his work, Action Française: Royalism and
Reaction in Twentieth-Century France
, that fascist men were brought together by “an overriding
2
Rowling, Deathly Hallows,
355-7.
3
Colin Jones, Cambridge Illustrated History of France
, (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1994), 235.
4
Eugen Weber, Action française : Royalism and Reaction in Twentieth Century France
, (Stanford, Stanford
University Press, 1962), 18.
Pederson and Rice 8
love of France, a great respect for order, and father in the orderly processes of reason...they set
out to prepare the way for its [nationalism’s] return by education people to see things their way.”
“Their way,” was the view that held French people against all others, including Jewish and
5
Protestant people, and those on the side of Dreyfus. Pro-Dreyfus meant Anti-French, and thus
those who took this side were working against the true France and must be opposed entirely by
them.
This condescension extended to even those French-born who defended Dreyfus. Émile
Zola, for example, became a figure of “betrayal” to the French people according French fascist
figure Maurice Barrès. In Barrès’ writing, he declares that Zola, although French-born, is a
“barbarian” who opposes a threat to the national identity and culture of the true French. In his
6
most famous work, Les Déracines
, Barrès states the importance of national identity and defines
what “Frenchness” and the “French race” are, along with listing the “enemy” who is able to
“pollute” and “corrupt” the proper French collective. All those who do not defend the race are
7
those who pollute it, and Dreyfusards, such as Zola, were among these people.
8
This us-versus-them mentality is seen in the Harry Potter series as well. In Harry Potter
and the Deathly Hallows
, the fascist Ministry of Magic of 1997 releases literature similar to
Barrès which tells of “Mudbloods and the Dangers They Pose to a Peaceful Pure-Blood
Society.” Their goal with this literature is the same as Barrès’: to propagate one race above
9
another. The Ministry for Magic also treats pure-bloods who oppose them as equally disgraceful.
5
Weber, Action Française
, 26.
6
David Carroll, French Literary Fascism: Nationalism, Anti-Semitism, and the Ideology of Culture, (Princeton,
Princeton University Press, 1995), 28.
7
Carroll, French Literary Fascism
, 28-30.
8
Ibid., 28-30.
9
J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,
(New York, Scholastic Inc., 2007), 249.
Pederson and Rice 9
While in the ministry, Harry sees a governmental file about Arthur Weasley, his friend Ron’s
dad. Arthur is known throughout the series to be sympathetic to Muggles and mudbloods. In this
file, it reads his blood-status as “pureblood, but with unacceptable pro-Muggle leanings” and
says that he is being monitored by the government for suspicious activity. In this way, the
10
Ministry, like Barrès, is not only creating a divide between one people and another, but it is
saying that to be sympathetic or supportive of the “other” is unacceptable and defiles you all the
same, the way that Zola supposedly defiles himself by being a Dreyfusard. Although this is one
specific example of a Harry Potter character being targeted by fascist sentiments, it is clear
throughout the series that any character who opposed fascist workings in both the Ministry of
Magic and fascist organizations themselves were target of similar attacks. This includes Albus
Dumbledore, founder and leader of the Order of the Phoenix, an organization which worked
against Voldemort in the Second Wizarding War.
Mythology
Les Déracinés
is one part of Barrès trilogy of Le Roman de l’Énergie Nationale
.
Although a fictional story, it professes dangerous fascist sentiments held by Barrès. In one scene,
it depicts a dramatic folklorish story in which French students gather and unify around the tomb
of Napoléon. There, these young men “recognize each other as brothers. They shake hands.
Impassioned cries burst from their lips. Subjugated to the play of such powerful forces, stirred up
by their admiration and solidarity, they are ready to accept any authoritative speech.” Napoléon
11
10
Rowling, Deathly Hallows,
251-2.
11
Carroll, French Literary Fascism
, 35.
Pederson and Rice 10
is their idol. He is a figure who symbolizes what a pro-French France could be and serves to
unite them to achieve this nationalistic end.
The sentiments of this story which serve French fascism are the same as the sentiments
which guide Dumbledore and Grindelwald in their quest for the Deathly Hallows. The Tale of the
Three Brothers
becomes relevant in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
, when the main
characters discover Voldemort, inspired by Grindelwald, is seeking the Deathly Hallows.
Grindelwald and Dumbledore had been friends in their youth. As clever and adventurous young
Wizards, they together sought power and the Deathly Hallows to become the Masters of Death
until a falling out over Dumbledore’s sister’s death. Though Grindelwald’s journey is less
prominent, Voldemort’s is shown to mimic it, allowing the reader to infer Grindelwald’s own
decisions. In this Wizarding fairy tale, three brothers survive a dangerous river crossing,
prompting Death himself to grant them each one wish. The first brother wishes for the most
powerful wand in existence, which allows him to win many duels before ultimately being
murdered in his sleep and the wand stolen. The second brother wishes to continue to conquer
Death and receives a Resurrection Stone; when he brings his lover back from the dead, she is
distant and he kills himself to truly be with her. The third brother asks for an Invisibility Cloak,
which allows him to hide from Death until he is ready for its peaceful embrace in his old age. To
most Wizards, this is nothing more than a children’s bedtime story, but to some, it reveals the
truth of the Deathly Hallows.
12
In their journey for the Deathly Hallows, young Grindelwald and Dumbledore see
themselves as equal counterparts - or, even, brothers. They met and instantly clicked, sharing one
12
Rowling, Deathly Hallows,
406-10.
Pederson and Rice 11
another’s obsession with finding the Deathly Hallows, which would have made them not only
the Masters of Death, but also the masters of the Wizarding world. They passionately shared
13
their pro-Wizard ideas back and forth between one another, admiring their cleverness and
accepting each other’s anti-Muggle speech. The Tale of the Three Brothers symbolized, to
14
Dumbledore and Grindelwald, what a pro-Wizard world could be and united them to desire this
nationalistic end.
Long-Term Denial
Another fascist figure from the pre-war era is Charles Péguy. However, this title is
somewhat controversial. According to David Carroll in French Literary Fascism
, “no one
seemed a less likely candidate than Péguy for the ‘honor’ of having been considered by French
Fascists one of the ‘founding fathers of fascism.’” As a socialist, republican, Dreyfusard, and
15
opposer of anti-Semitism, Péguy, on the surface, lacked every quality that most fascists valued.
16
Despite this, Péguy’s influence on French fascism is substantial. He maintained “purification” of
the race and speaks of “spiritual rather than a biological purity” for the French people. He also
17
had a distinct Christian-versus-Jewish mentality. This mentality plays into the us-versus-them
18
mentality that plagues all fascism.
Another factor of Péguy’s fascism is his description of the “harmonious city.” In this
19
description, he describes a place where all people are considered “conforming” citizens of the
13
Rowling, Deathly Hallows,
714.
14
Ibid.,
356-7.
15
Carroll, French Literary Fascism
, 44.
16
Ibid., 44.
17
Ibid., 60.
18
Ibid., 64.
19
Ibid,, 48.
Pederson and Rice 12
city with no “men who are foreigners.” The city is ruled by the powerful majority and thus,
20
everyone peacefully obeys these rulers with their best interest in mind.
21
Interestingly enough, Albus Dumbledore resembles Péguy in his candidacy, or lack
thereof, for fascist founder. As the man who defeated Grindelwald in 1945 and a prominent
figure in opposition to Voldemort, it would seem as though Dumbledore opposed fascism
altogether. This is known to be not true, but for years it seemed so. In his published letter to
Grindelwald, Dumbledore, too, had a us-versus-them mentality between the Wizards and the
Muggles. He claims that Wizard dominance over the Muggles would exist “for the Muggles’
own good” and for the “greater good” of the world. These pro-Wizard sentiments would create
22
a society similar to Péguy’s harmonious city, in which Wizards had certain rights over Muggles,
including the right to rule, and Muggles peacefully obey for their own good.
On a larger scale, Dumbledore’s secret fascism can be found in the French Thèse
Immunitaire, or “Immunity Thesis.” This is the school of thought that says that France, as a
nation, is immune to fascism. It came about primarily in the decades that followed World War
23
II from French historians. The explanation for fascism in France visibly present in the interwar
period is explained by historians as a “foreign” and “alien” concept, which was imposed upon
them, and while present, is at best “marginal,” in the society of the time. Further, historians
24
claim that French fascism lacked “certain essential or typical features of fascism such as social
radicalism, incipient totalitarianism, or aggressive expansionism.” Obviously, many historians
25
20
Ibid., 48-51.
21
Ibid., 51.
22
Ibid.,
357.
23
Brian Jenkins, France in the Era of Fascism: Essays on the French Authoritarian Right
, (New York, Berghahn
Books, 2005), 2.
24
Jenkins, France in the Era, 2.
25
Ibid., 4.
Pederson and Rice 13
have since sought to challenge this thesis on the grounds of the true existence of native French
fascism.
As mentioned, this is reflected in Dumbledore’s fascist history. For years, Dumbledore
actively opposed fascism. It is clear from his history with Grindelwald, however, that this
opposition was not always true. Dumbledore was clearly pro-Wizard, anti-Muggle in his youth.
Although one could argue that these sentiments were imparted onto him by Grindelwald in the
same way that one could argue for the immunity thesis for France’s fascism, it is evident that at
their roots, both France and Dumbledore truly held their own, self-made fascist beliefs.
An Analysis of German Fascism in Relation to Gellert Grindelwald
Grindelwald embodied Nazi fascism in its goals and its justifications. He sought a world
in which Wizards lived free from Muggles, just as the Nazis wanted to be free from the Jews and
others they considered inferior. Neither directly said they wished to slaughter millions of people,
instead used language of freedom and power to persuade their followers to support their goals.
From the similarities in rhetorical strategies, it seems the real-world Nazi history influenced J.K.
Rowling’s writing.
Certain language and ideas used by both Grindelwald and the National Socialist Party can
be compared side by side to showcase their near exactness:
“It is said that I hate Les Non-Magiques. The Muggles. The No-Maj. The
Can’t-Spells . . . I do not hate them. I do not . . . For I do not fight out of hatred. I
say the Muggles are not lesser, but other. Not worthless, but of other value. Not
disposable, but of a different disposition.”
26
“People are always saying that our National Socialist racial thinking is
materialistic, unchristian, chauvinistic, imperialistic, and that it leads to the
26
J.K. Rowling, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,
(New York, Arthur A. Levine Books, 2018), 245-6.
Pederson and Rice 14
defamation of foreign races and peoples. The opposite is the case. We believe our
racial policy is the surest guarantee for mutual respect and for peaceful
coexistence between the peoples of this world. Someone of another race is
different from me both in body and soul, for both are important.This makes no
value judgement about other races.”
27
Grindelwald gave this speech in front of an arena of supporters near the beginning of his rise to
power. Similarly, the Nazi words come from Gerhard Wagner, head of the National Socialist
German Physicians’ Association, in 1936. Both intended to gain supporters for their racial
policies. At the times these speeches were given, Hitler was leader of the National Socialist Party
and Grindelwald was developing a following across Europe as a revolutionary.
At points in their speeches, both men make a claim regarding the way they look to others.
They directly address concerns that those listening might have; they show they are listening and
they care. In doing so, they give themselves an opportunity to create a defense against a vague,
absent attacker. Naturally, they deny their racism. Grindelwald insists he does not hate Muggles.
Wagner claims to want peaceful coexistence. After this brief shield against criticism, they launch
into actively promoting the softest versions of their plans.
This is how it all began, with professed restraint designed to make radical ideas appear
less objectionable. Meanwhile, concentrations camps were already in operation and Grindelwald
was a well-known danger in Europe. Later on, when their positions of power were cemented,
28
these fascists could express even more outrageous ideas openly.
According to Albus Dumbledore, Grindelwald wanted three things since his youth:
power, Muggle torture, and the Deathly Hallows. Similarly, Nazis wanted to seize power, to
29
27
Gerhard Wagner, “Race and Population Policy,” in Landmark Speeches of National Socialism,
ed. Randall L.
Bytwerk (College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2008), 71.
28
J.K. Rowling, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
(New York, Arthur A. Levine Books, 2016), 1-2.
29
Rowling, Deathly Hallows,
717.
Pederson and Rice 15
end races they considered inferior, and to attain mystical status. With these goals in mind, both
Grindelwald and the Nazis set out on paths that would span decades, only to end in failure.
Starting relatively tame prevented the majority of the population from rejecting them
outright. Once followers had accepted the premises, the leaders became bolder. Dumbledore told
Harry that Grindelwald dreamed of torturing Muggles since his youth. Even as a young man,
30
Grindelwald professed a desire to dominate Muggles using force. However, he softens his
31
language while trying to gain supporters, insisting that he only wishes to defend the Wizarding
world from its attackers. “It is not we who are violent,” Grindelwald claims, a statement which
both paints his opponents as the villains and himself as the hero.
32
In order to promote atrocities, fascists must find justifications. In Selling Hitler
, Nicholas
O’Shaughnessy describes what he calls the propaganda trilogy: mythologies, symbolism, and
rhetoric. All of these are used by Grindelwald and his followers as well.
Mythologies
O’Shaughnessy describes a myth as a narrative that both represents and affects a
culture. The Nazis used several such myths to shape the public mindset and to create enemies.
33
These nationalistic narratives stemmed from traditional and folkloric sources, capitalizing on
familiar and comforting stories, while drawing parallels between real-world events. While Nazis
reappropriated tales such as Das Nibelungenlied
, a classic German epic, to portray themselves as
30
Ibid.
31
Rowling, Deathly Hallows
, 357.
32
Rowling, Crimes of Grindelwald,
254.
33
Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Selling Hitler: Propaganda and the Nazi Brand
(London: Hurst & Company, 2016),
140.
Pederson and Rice 16
the heroic Siegfried and the Jews, Bolsheviks, Slavs, and other “Untermenschen” as the hero’s
34
murderers, Grindelwald similarly became attached to The Tale of the Three Brothers.
Grindelwald imagines himself as a mighty figure of this Wizarding folktale. He is one of
the few who believes that a person could actually collect the Deathly Hallows - the Elder Wand,
the Resurrection Stone, and the Invisibility Cloak - and therefore, become the Master of Death.
He does not, however, share this goal publicly with anyone other than his good friend Albus
Dumbledore. Though Grindelwald’s desire to become Master of Death encourages his desire for
power, the only Deathly Hallow he finds is the Elder Wand.
Few knew about Grindelwald’s quest for the Deathly Hallows; even Hermione Granger,
after extensive research, never came across any reference to it. When one considers
35
Grindelwald as a singular person, the comparison lacks execution; however, if Grindelwald
embodies the entire idea of fascism, it is clear this myth created and encouraged his attitudes
towards himself, his goals, and his enemies, just as classic German tales promoted the idea of the
“true German.”
Symbolism
The Nazis’s success in manipulating the second element of propaganda - symbolism - is
obvious. Even today, decades later, the sight of the swastika creates a strong, visceral reaction in
people around the world. Its significance as a Nazi symbol is dominant over its other meanings.
This directly corresponds to the Harry Potter series’ Deathly Hallows symbol, a circle within a
triangle bisected by a line, each shape representing one of the three Deathly Hallows. When
34
Untermenschen
is a term used by the Nazis to refer to all types of people they considered lower than themselves.
Literally, Untermenschen means “under-people.”
35
Rowling, Deathly Hallows,
317.
Pederson and Rice 17
Viktor Krum sees Xenophilius Lovegood casually wearing the symbol, his reaction is immediate
and severe. “This is Grindelvald’s [sic
] sign,” he insists angrily. Meanwhile, Lovegood
36
considers the symbol only for its mythological meaning.
The ability of these symbols to be reinterpreted is what made them so powerful. Despite
each symbol’s original, mythological meaning, “its end use is how it is perceived.” While
37
Steven Heller argues the swastika can never recover from its Nazi associates, the Deathly
Hallows symbol may not have the same fate. To the main characters of the Harry Potter series -
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore, and Voldemort - the symbol remains associated with
Grindelwald, but its meaning refers to the Tale of the Three Brothers
. To Viktor Krum, however,
and the thousands of other Wizards directly affected by Grindelwald’s violence and terror, it will
never be more than Grindelwald’s mark, representing his violence and fascist ideals.
Symbols have the benefit of acting as a kind of shorthand, a quick trigger that demands
an emotional response. Both the swastika and the Deathly Hallows symbol are simple shapes,
38
images children could draw. With a few strokes of the pen (or wand), an entire message can be
represented. Previously, the swastika and variations thereof were used across the Eurasian
continent for a variety of reasons. It has been connected to India, China, Greece, and all over the
world. When the swastika became prominent in Germany, it was presented as a racial Aryan
symbol by mystics and occultists, then reappropriated once more by the Nazis. When the
39
symbol became associated with the Nazi Party, its previous meanings were more or less erased,
leaving only the new, lasting reference to a fascist regime.
36
Rowling, Deathly Hallows,
148.
37
Steven Heller, The Swastika: Symbol Beyond Redemption?
(New York: Allworth Press, 2000), 10.
38
O’Shaughnessy, 215-6.
39
Heller, 41-2.
Pederson and Rice 18
Meanwhile, the Deathly Hallows symbols was nothing more than a representation of a
quest for mythical objects for centuries, beginning with the Peverell brothers, allegedly the
characters in the Tale of the Three Brothers. Grindelwald recognized this meaning, but
40
presented it as his own symbol, going so far as to carve it into the wall of Durmstrang, his old
school. Like the swastika, it kept its old significance to some, but across Europe, the symbol of
41
the Deathly Hallows only meaning was of racial bigotry and violence.
Rhetoric
“The Third Reich was about abuse of rhetoric, and to a lesser degree the use of rhetoric,”
writes O’Shaughnessy. Rhetoric is persuasion and rhetoric is language. Rhetoric is using the
42
mechanics of language to plant ideas in the heads of others. The Nazis were experts at using
propaganda, mythology, symbolism, and rhetoric to achieve power, and one can see Grindelwald
using the same tactics in the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series as he attracts followers.
“If propaganda is to succeed, it must know what it wants. It must keep a clear and firm
goal in mind, and seek the appropriate means and methods to reach that goal,” said Joseph
Goebbels, Nazi Minister of Propaganda, in 1934. He openly reveals the mindset of an entire
43
movement, admitting the Nazis were calculating in the language they used. The use of metaphor,
hyperbole, euphemism, and other linguistic tools was conscious and always in support of a
singular goal: racial superiority.
40
Rowling, Deathly Hallows,
413.
41
Rowling, Deathly Hallows,
148.
42
O’Shaughnessy, 255.
43
Joseph Goebbels, “Propaganda and Public Enlightenment as Prerequisites for Practical Work in Many Areas,” in
Landmark Speeches of National Socialism,
ed. Randall L. Bytwerk (College Station: Texas A&M University Press,
2008), 43.
Pederson and Rice 19
In rhetoric, “words are never neutral; they are association-rich” writes O’Shaughnessy.
44
Thus, the speaker can both instruct the listener what to believe and can appeal to the associations
they already have. When Hitler gathered supporters, he connected to beliefs they already held.
“Germany had fallen from its former heights, and at home it was torn apart,” he said in 1925,
addressing the status of Germany after the First World War. He found a target for these
45
opinions by pointing to the bourgeois establishment and the German masses. While he called the
bourgeois “tyrants” and “foreigners” who wanted domination over the true German people,
Hitler insisted they lacked the strength, will, and ability to attack. This encouraged his listeners
46
to view themselves as the oppressed working class, united in their victimization. Many people
already had this idea in their minds, but Hitler gave it a voice and gave them an outlet.
Grindelwald did the same for Wizards when he spoke before a crowd in Paris. He told the
Wizards they were oppressed by the magical governments. He addresses the feelings they
already have, by saying “You came today because of a craving and a knowledge that the old
ways serve us no longer.” He tells them they have the strength to overthrow the establishment:
47
“Magic blooms only in rare souls. It is granted to those who live for higher things. Oh, and what
a world we could make, for all of humanity.” This speech convinces Queenie, a major character
48
who wishes to marry a Muggle despite laws forbidding Wizard-Muggle relationships. Knowing
Grindelwald wanted distance between Wizards and Muggles, it seems odd that she would go
44
O’Shaughnessy, 256.
45
Adolf Hitler,“Reestablishing the National Socialist German Workers Party,” in Landmark Speeches of National
Socialism,
ed. Randall L. Bytwerk (College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2008. 17.
46
Ibid, 19.
47
Rowling, Crimes of Grindelwald,
245.
48
Rowling, Crimes of Grindelwald,
246.
Pederson and Rice 20
with him. However, the language he used did as it was intended; he connected to the thoughts
and fears she already had towards the Wizarding establishment and gave her a different path.
Fear was the driving force in both men’s rhetorical strategies. Grindelwald instills fear in
his followers of what would happen if they do not do as he says: he shows them a potential
future, one of World War II, in which Muggles kill each other with guns and bombs and asks
“How long will it take before they turn their weapons on us? Similarly, Hitler defended Nazi
49
military actions by claiming to act defensively: “We therefore had no choice but to put on the
helmet and follow the path that would free not only the German Reich, but all of Europe, from
the dangers that threatened.” In creating a scapegoat, Hitler and Grindelwald directed the
50
frustrations their followers already felt towards their own goals.
Fascism, Institutions, and Individuals
From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
, readers learn that Grindelwald was the most
dangerous dark Wizard of all time, until Voldemort brought the same ideas to new heights in the
1990s. This book describes Grindelwald’s personal ideological development. It does not,
51
however, explain how this young man went from being expelled from school to killing people
across Europe. The Fantastic Beasts film series gives more insight into his rise, but the second
film ends as he only begins to gain power. As of Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald
, he
has no institutional power, but rather a gathering of supporters sent out to share his message with
the world.
49
Rowling, Crimes of Grindelwald,
250-1.
50
Adolf Hitler, “Speech To the Old Guard in Munich,” in Landmark Speeches of National Socialism,
ed. Randall L.
Bytwerk (College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2008), 97.
The danger he refers to, as he goes on to explain, is “the international Jew.”
51
Rowling, Deathly Hallows,
555.
Pederson and Rice 21
Because the Nazis controlled the institutions in Germany, they were able to disseminate
propaganda systematically. As of the second Fantastic Beasts
film, Grindelwald remains the
target of a manhunt. Though he has many followers, he has no formal position of power which
would allow a propaganda structure to put in place methods like the Nazis used. Harry Potter
fans must wait until the next film in the series to discover whether Grindelwald’s path continues
to follow that of the Nazis or if it diverges.
Conclusion
Knowing that real life and fiction influence each other, we must not overlook the role
fascism plays in one of the most popular book and film series of all time. Children, growing up
reading and watching Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts, learn to associate fascist language with
villains. This is a wise lesson for J.K. Rowling to teach. In the Harry Potter series, the story of
Grindelwald, Dumbledore, and the Wizarding world’s fascist epidemic from the 1920 to 1940s
was nearly forgotten in the decades that followed. Voldemort picked up this sentiment and
threatened the peace of the Wizarding world fifty years after Grindelwald did. Over the past
several years, a new discussion on fascism has arisen, as a new generation of nationalists begin
to speak up.
Humans must learn from history. In the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts franchises,
the
characters learn to stand up against fascists and to accept that Wizards should not tyrannize
Muggles. Since the lessons we learn from literature are important to human development, the
fact that the protagonists fight Grindelwald and Voldemort sends a message to young readers
everywhere that they too have the ability to stand up for what is right. As long as fascists remain
Pederson and Rice 22
the villains in our literature, they will be the villains in our minds, and thus we will be more able
to recognize modern villains in our society.
Pederson and Rice 23
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