Durmstang according to Viktor Krum, and why Gellert > Voldie
1. Symbol: "...this is his symbol, I recognised it at vunce: Grindelvald carved it into a vall at Durmstrang ven he vos a pupil there.
- Beetle the Bard is English, like the wizarding Shakespeare. Shakespeare is England's playwright, Russia have Anton Chekov. It's possible that when Beetle the Bard was describe as the tales wizarding families read to their children, it's English wizarding family.
- Krum, a student of Durmstrang from a wizarding family, recognize the Hallows as Grindelwald's symbol first.
-- Though it's possible that hearing the story told to them, the children could not have seen the symbol - and that modern edition of Beetle the Bard would not include an illustration of a symbol now associated with Grindelwald. A lot of aviators and sports team, prior to 1940s, had wore the Swastika for luck, it was a Sanskirt symbol appropriated by the Nazis.
2. Environment: (BTW: JK Rowling says Durmstrang is in Sweden or Norway
- "Vell, ve have a castle also, not as big as this, nor as comfortable, I am thinking. Ve have just four floors, and the fires are lit only for magical purposes. But ve have grounds larger even than these--though in vinter we have very little day-light, so ve are not enjoying them. But in summer ve are flying every day, over the lakes and the mountains--"
I think, at Durmstang, Gellert probably practically lived outside when it was warm, probably skipping classes too. This boy sounded too comfortable letting himself fall back out Gregorovitch's window, I could so see him performing stunt flying over the lakes and mountains.
3. Dark Arts / Muggleborns / Atmosphere of Toughness
- In Hogswarts, there seem to be a great link between love of dark arts and blood purity, but general wizarding britain seem to find muggleborn as shun worthy as the dark arts.
- According to Draco, Durmstang doesn't admit Muggleborn, but it's possible Draco have it wrong?
-- Gellert was friends with Albus, whose mother was a muggleborn witch. He finds muggles inferior, but his policy was to rule them for their own good, versus Voldemort's kill them all.
-- Krum had no problem dating the muggleborn Hermione - but Krum had a life outside of Durmstang, he was already playing official Quidditch - therefore he could have learnt tolerance beyond Durmstang, and was possibly flaunting it by taking Hermione to the Yule Ball
-- Judging Durmstang from Krum though, I see that school as open to dangerous dark arts, but not necessary bias against muggleborns
--- Krum transfigured his head into a shark for the Triwizard test instead of something like a bubblehead charm - this and reference to Gellert's experiments (according to Rita), sound like Durmstang gives their students and teachers more free reign over experiments with human subjects.
--- Krum invited Hermione over for the holidays, so his family is probably cool with muggleborns too? Like, if Krum's school really ban muggleborns, shouldn't that have came up during Book 4?
--- Krum mentions that some students wore Grindelwald's symbol to shock, but then they were corrected by people who lost their family members: so dark arts okay, war is not.
ETA: Muggleborns - actually, considering who was Headmaster, a pardoned Death Eater, plus who we heard it from, Draco, who usually mouth off more than his parents would like, not admitting muggleborns probably exist at Durmstang as an unofficial policy.
I just have the impression that Durmstang, and Gellert, summer of 1899, just have completely different cultural mores than wizarding Britain, and Albus. Even now, the policy of corporal punishment in school and/or by parents, vary from countries, states, and provinces, for example.
I don't know how to explain it, but back in Hong Kong, at least in the school I went to, it was normal for teachers to whack students on the palms of our hands with rulers before sending us to stand outside the class, and we were supposed to keep our hands up holding onto our ears. It kinda hurt but it didn't feel abusive and we sure as hell didn't feel cowed by it, and I don't think the teachers expect us to be cowed by it, the way Snape makes Nerville simper in class for example. Take your whack standing straight.
Within one year of being in a Canadian school however, I feel that if a Canadian teacher had done the exact same thing to me in a Canadian class, it would feel abusive, by context. Of course, I didn't attend every school in HK and every school in Canada, so who knows if that was typical? But my general impression was that HK grade schools are way tougher than NA grade schools - and it's YMMV over whether it's a good thing or not. While beating someone into injuries is often wrong, when it happen in HK it makes it into news as a BAD thing, some things are just YMMV depending on cultural mores. For example, in some countries, it's customary to greet someone with a kiss on the cheek, in others, it'll feel violating as opposed to friendly.
4. At War / Grindelwald wasn't good but be was better than Voldie: what happened to Durmstang when Grindelwald was a ruler? Krum said the symbol was craved when Gellert was a student there - now think about this, Gellert was kicked out of Durmstang - but Durmstang was left standing. If Gellert did bad things to the school that kicked him out, I think Krum would have mentioned it, especially in the context of students that was wearing the symbol for shock.
Voldie on the other hand, dear god, he left Hogswarts in the hands of the psycho tempered Carrows, and as much as he hates muggles, couldn't he just make them sing some kind of anti-muggle anthem in the morning instead of wasting an entire class, a now mandatory class, on propaganda that would probably make previously prejudiced wizards side with muggles if one remembers anything of how normal teenage minds work.
Think about this though, in universe, could Voldemort really take over the world? Or just England, how many Death Eaters does Voldie have? He took over Hogswarts, but hahaha, he couldn't get to Durmstang and Beauxbatons because those schools are aboard and Durmstang is hidden.
Frankly, since Voldie killed a foreign talented wandmaker on foreign soil, I'm surprise that Durmstang etc did not come on England's doorstep asking for blood, maybe it was offscreen. Oh ho ho, here's another thing: Gellert Grindelwald didn't kill Gregorovitch.
Gellert didn't kill Gregorovitch when he took the Elderwand, choosing instead to only stun the wandmaker, leaving him unharmed other than being stunned.
Then Gellert still didn't kill Gregorovitch when he was rising to power, even though Gregorovitch could have recognized Gellert, and the wand that was stolen!
Voldie on the other hand, killed a talented wandmaker for no reason at all, Gregorovitch didn't defy him, just didn't have what he wanted. Plus, he closed up Ollivander's shop and kept him from working for months just to ask about the Hallows. Considering that not any wand will work well for any wizard, Ollivander have to make a LOT of wands every year for every new Hogswart class - and probably homeschooled wizards, and that's without accounting for breakage.
No wonder Gellert was laughing at Voldie, he's thinking, You're Doing It Wrong.
- Beetle the Bard is English, like the wizarding Shakespeare. Shakespeare is England's playwright, Russia have Anton Chekov. It's possible that when Beetle the Bard was describe as the tales wizarding families read to their children, it's English wizarding family.
- Krum, a student of Durmstrang from a wizarding family, recognize the Hallows as Grindelwald's symbol first.
-- Though it's possible that hearing the story told to them, the children could not have seen the symbol - and that modern edition of Beetle the Bard would not include an illustration of a symbol now associated with Grindelwald. A lot of aviators and sports team, prior to 1940s, had wore the Swastika for luck, it was a Sanskirt symbol appropriated by the Nazis.
2. Environment: (BTW: JK Rowling says Durmstrang is in Sweden or Norway
- "Vell, ve have a castle also, not as big as this, nor as comfortable, I am thinking. Ve have just four floors, and the fires are lit only for magical purposes. But ve have grounds larger even than these--though in vinter we have very little day-light, so ve are not enjoying them. But in summer ve are flying every day, over the lakes and the mountains--"
I think, at Durmstang, Gellert probably practically lived outside when it was warm, probably skipping classes too. This boy sounded too comfortable letting himself fall back out Gregorovitch's window, I could so see him performing stunt flying over the lakes and mountains.
3. Dark Arts / Muggleborns / Atmosphere of Toughness
- In Hogswarts, there seem to be a great link between love of dark arts and blood purity, but general wizarding britain seem to find muggleborn as shun worthy as the dark arts.
- According to Draco, Durmstang doesn't admit Muggleborn, but it's possible Draco have it wrong?
-- Gellert was friends with Albus, whose mother was a muggleborn witch. He finds muggles inferior, but his policy was to rule them for their own good, versus Voldemort's kill them all.
-- Krum had no problem dating the muggleborn Hermione - but Krum had a life outside of Durmstang, he was already playing official Quidditch - therefore he could have learnt tolerance beyond Durmstang, and was possibly flaunting it by taking Hermione to the Yule Ball
-- Judging Durmstang from Krum though, I see that school as open to dangerous dark arts, but not necessary bias against muggleborns
--- Krum transfigured his head into a shark for the Triwizard test instead of something like a bubblehead charm - this and reference to Gellert's experiments (according to Rita), sound like Durmstang gives their students and teachers more free reign over experiments with human subjects.
--- Krum invited Hermione over for the holidays, so his family is probably cool with muggleborns too? Like, if Krum's school really ban muggleborns, shouldn't that have came up during Book 4?
--- Krum mentions that some students wore Grindelwald's symbol to shock, but then they were corrected by people who lost their family members: so dark arts okay, war is not.
ETA: Muggleborns - actually, considering who was Headmaster, a pardoned Death Eater, plus who we heard it from, Draco, who usually mouth off more than his parents would like, not admitting muggleborns probably exist at Durmstang as an unofficial policy.
I just have the impression that Durmstang, and Gellert, summer of 1899, just have completely different cultural mores than wizarding Britain, and Albus. Even now, the policy of corporal punishment in school and/or by parents, vary from countries, states, and provinces, for example.
I don't know how to explain it, but back in Hong Kong, at least in the school I went to, it was normal for teachers to whack students on the palms of our hands with rulers before sending us to stand outside the class, and we were supposed to keep our hands up holding onto our ears. It kinda hurt but it didn't feel abusive and we sure as hell didn't feel cowed by it, and I don't think the teachers expect us to be cowed by it, the way Snape makes Nerville simper in class for example. Take your whack standing straight.
Within one year of being in a Canadian school however, I feel that if a Canadian teacher had done the exact same thing to me in a Canadian class, it would feel abusive, by context. Of course, I didn't attend every school in HK and every school in Canada, so who knows if that was typical? But my general impression was that HK grade schools are way tougher than NA grade schools - and it's YMMV over whether it's a good thing or not. While beating someone into injuries is often wrong, when it happen in HK it makes it into news as a BAD thing, some things are just YMMV depending on cultural mores. For example, in some countries, it's customary to greet someone with a kiss on the cheek, in others, it'll feel violating as opposed to friendly.
4. At War / Grindelwald wasn't good but be was better than Voldie: what happened to Durmstang when Grindelwald was a ruler? Krum said the symbol was craved when Gellert was a student there - now think about this, Gellert was kicked out of Durmstang - but Durmstang was left standing. If Gellert did bad things to the school that kicked him out, I think Krum would have mentioned it, especially in the context of students that was wearing the symbol for shock.
Voldie on the other hand, dear god, he left Hogswarts in the hands of the psycho tempered Carrows, and as much as he hates muggles, couldn't he just make them sing some kind of anti-muggle anthem in the morning instead of wasting an entire class, a now mandatory class, on propaganda that would probably make previously prejudiced wizards side with muggles if one remembers anything of how normal teenage minds work.
Think about this though, in universe, could Voldemort really take over the world? Or just England, how many Death Eaters does Voldie have? He took over Hogswarts, but hahaha, he couldn't get to Durmstang and Beauxbatons because those schools are aboard and Durmstang is hidden.
Frankly, since Voldie killed a foreign talented wandmaker on foreign soil, I'm surprise that Durmstang etc did not come on England's doorstep asking for blood, maybe it was offscreen. Oh ho ho, here's another thing: Gellert Grindelwald didn't kill Gregorovitch.
Gellert didn't kill Gregorovitch when he took the Elderwand, choosing instead to only stun the wandmaker, leaving him unharmed other than being stunned.
Then Gellert still didn't kill Gregorovitch when he was rising to power, even though Gregorovitch could have recognized Gellert, and the wand that was stolen!
Voldie on the other hand, killed a talented wandmaker for no reason at all, Gregorovitch didn't defy him, just didn't have what he wanted. Plus, he closed up Ollivander's shop and kept him from working for months just to ask about the Hallows. Considering that not any wand will work well for any wizard, Ollivander have to make a LOT of wands every year for every new Hogswart class - and probably homeschooled wizards, and that's without accounting for breakage.
No wonder Gellert was laughing at Voldie, he's thinking, You're Doing It Wrong.