Inspiration... it's.. well, it's inspiration ^_^


She said she was going from somewhere to wherever on a train (i forget the facts), and when she reached her destination, she had most of the Harry Potter series planned in her head..
Im sure that that cant just happen. We need some sort of motivation to write something.. So what was JK's?

Co-incidence, or planned?:
WW2
Adolf Hitler was a German bloke who managed to gain power during the Great Depression. He was never a high ranking soldier in the army, a mere corperal. He saw the chance to gain power and do things his way in Germany.. and he took that chance.

He had a dream; to make Germany pure.. by pure, he meant that there would be:
No Jews
No mixed marriages

Jews living in Germany were told to wear a band on their arm.. a yellow band with a star. They were kicked out of their homes and were thrown from their jobs. They were told to walk in the gutter, and they'd have to do outrageous things in front of crowds.
Families were seperated, and people were killed by the thousands.. be it in gas chambers, or being shot.

Hitlers dream was to make the world pure, get rid of all the 'scum', and to bring Germany back.

Harry Potter

Voldemort, a man seeking power. If he saw a threat, he destroyed it, not caring how or where it was destroyed.

He kills, not caring who it is.

He wants to make the world pure, get rid of all the muggles, squibs and half-bloods. He didnt want mixed marriages.

Hitler and Voldemort
- both wanted to gain power
- both saw their chance and took it
- both killed all in their way
- both wanted to make the world pure


Rather strange, but Voldemort is like a magical Hitler.

Think about it, discuss it.

{The Pianist is an excellent movie. It's based on WW2, and shows us how the Jewish had to live}

I see exactly what you are talking about but I think that they are alike and totally different at the same time. Hitler was after the Jews and the mixed marriages but Voldmort also kills who is not on his side. Whether they are pure blood or not. He doesn't want to be dominated again. So he is willing to kill anything or anyone that comes in his path. Meaning as, if you don't take his side, you will die.

I quite see your point, and rather agree with many of the similarities you brought up. For the sake of arguement though, I'd like to mention that this is rather like a recipie used concering the Dark Wizard overlords created by J.K. Rowling. Rememeber Grindewald? He was about apparenlty during WW2, only he was the bane of the Wizarding world as opposed to a muggle problem. Dumbledore was made famous for defeating him, if I recall correctly.

So, do we compare Grindewald, Voldermort, or both to that sanction set up by Hitler? Or should we perhaps look to a more communist reign, as opposed to the facist diagram. This is the sort of stuff that always makes for an interesting debate B)

I have never really thought about this. That is a very interesting point, but I don't really think J.K. got her idea for Harry from Hilter. There are alot of things that are similare between the two, but I think she had a very creative imagination and thought up Harry as Harry not from the history of Hilter. But I could be wrong of course, I am wrong alot.

My mom's parents were Germans. They were kicked out of Germany because they didnt agree with Hitler. Luckily they werent killed.
Hitler did kill those that didnt side with him, even if they were Germans. Look at Anne Frank, and the students in the White Rose.

We dont know much about Grindewald though, so that's a bit of a problem.

I might be wrong, maybe JK wasnt thinking about WW2 at the time.

I think she wanted for us to see the parallels between Hitler and voldemort, but i don't think he was her inspiration. She wanted us aware, so that me might learn from it and make a difference. But this is just my opinion, i'm not her, so who knows what she was thinking of.

Just to add another comparision for you... Hitler was half-Jew. He had a Jewish mother, and she got sick. Pyschologist think that it is where Hitler's hatred for Jews came from, because the Jewish doctor didn't save her life. Voldemort is half muggle, and muggles were ultimately responsible for his mother's death. How very interesting this is...

Wow..
Thats some interesting info, Dream. This could be very,very interesting.. it is very,very interesting...

Hitler and Voldemort
- both wanted to gain power
- both saw their chance and took it
- both killed all in their way
- both wanted to make the world pure
- both fought against people, even though they are half thouse people (half-Jew; Half-blood)

I'd always assumed that JKR had all murderous dictators everywhere in mind when she created Voldemort, not necessarily specifically Hitler, although it certainly applies to him. I thought it could also be Stailn, or Idi Amin, or Pol Pot, or Poppa Doc, or any of their ilk.

But Dream has a very interesting point about Hitler being half Jewish, and the death of his mother. Maybe Voldemort is more specifically modeled on Hitler than I'd been thinking. And I've read that Hitler was very interested in magic and the supernatural.

That's insanely weird...

I dont know much about any other dictators.. we're busy with WW2 in history at the mo, so...

What if Voldemort commits suicide.. poison or Avada? Be a bit of a weird ending. And if that does happen, it's gonna be a wee bit freaky o_O

The suicide angle is interesting, too.

I would be another possible parallel if Voldemort, like Hitler, ultimately commits suicide after whining that his people have not proved themselves worthy of him.

It would also spare Harry from the burden of having to kill him, which would be nice. And I don't think it would violate the prophecy.

Wow I did NOT know that Hitler commited suicide... I can't see Voldy doing something like that though. He's fought too hard to stay alive no matter what, that I cant see him taking his own life...

This is JK Rowling we're talking about; im expecting a MAJOR twist...