The wizarding world and the world wars

[c_voth312]

No: HPFGUIDX 46065

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Alina" <alina at d...> wrote:
> 
> > I've been wondering about the lack of mention of the world wars in
> > the Harry Potter books. Surely with the bombing that took place in
> > the second world war they would have noticed something, and some 
may
> > even have died, unless wizards are generally invulnerable to 
muggle
> > kinds of death? Just a thought.
> >
> > Orla

I'm sure they would have noticed--it's hard to ignore something of 
that magnitude--but it's possible that the two wars don't carry the 
same significance with wizards as they do with Muggles.  Remember 
that wizards can be very isolationist, and either misunderstand or 
ignore the goings-on in the "normal" world.  They might have looked 
on it as "something that doesn't concern us."

> Do you remember the year in which Dumbledore defeated Grindewald? 
1945. I
> always found that curious.
> 

And somehow, I doubt it's coincidence.  Also, I'm not very good with 
name origins but "Grindewald" sounds like it might be German in 
origin.  Could it be there was a "Wizard World War" paralleling the 
conflict in the Muggle world?  Was Hitler's rise to power due, in 
part, to having a dark wizard on his payroll?  Some things to 
consider.

~Christi