Prague As A Possible Durmstrang Location?

[mysmacek]

No: HPFGUIDX 88247

Hi, Entropy,
as a Prague native, I could not resist :-)

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "entropymail" <entropymail at y...>
wrote:
> Hello, everyone! Saw a show last night on PBS that dealt with the
> history of alchemy. Many famous alchemists were mentioned, including
> Nicholas Flamel (yes, he was real and yes, he is said to have produced
> a Philosopher's Stone) and Paracelsus (remember that bust of
> Paracelsus mentioned in OOP?). Well, about halfway through the show,
> Prague was mentioned.  Apparently, Prague had become a hotspot of
> alchemical activity in the 16th century, even after it had fallen from
> favor throughout much of Europe. 
> 
> Alchemists were often known to communicate through complicated codes
> and beautifully colored, symbolic drawings. Many of these drawings
> eventually became used as a source of divination, becoming what is now

And don't forget Rabbi Loewe, the creator of Golem.

> known at Tarot cards. Prague's streets are said to move (not unlike
> Hogwarts' staircases), and Prague is known as the birthplace of
vampires.

I won't comment on the moving streets (you know, the magistrate and
their public works encure that the streets are really moving
perpetually), but a birthplace of vampires? Hardly.

Vampires belong to Carpathia. Yes, the belief in vampires is of
ancient Slavic origin, and there were findings of vampire(*) graves in
central Bohemia, but for me it certainly belongs to Balkan folklore.
At least I do not know of any vampires in Prague, excluding Kulhanek's
excellent book "Nocni klub" (The Night Club)


> With this strong connection to alchemy, divination, and others, it
> struck me that Prague or it's surrounding areas may be a perfect spot
> for a Durmstrang location. Although it's got somewhat mild
> spring/summers (60F), the winters are supposed to be brutal. That

Brutal??? When it's really really cold here in winter, it's -20 C and
all the citizens complain of public transport and do not stick their
noses out of their homes. Now it's around zero, which certainly is not
brutal, compared to e.g. Russia or Scandinavia.

> would jibe with the heavy cloaks worn by the Durmstrang students upon
> their arrival at Hogwarts.  There is also the heavily trafficked
> Prague River,  which runs through the middle of Prague, hence the
> arrival by ship.

The river is called Vltava, btw. Almost all historical dwellings (at
least in Europe) were built in vicinity to rivers. Durmstrang is a
german language, not Czech (although there used to be a heavy German
influence here, and it would not be a blocker if Durmstrang was
founded e.g. in 17th century.)

Personally, Durmstrang for me is a strange Bulagarian - German mix, as
far as I can tell from the names. I would place it in Germany.


Mysmacek
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(*) "vampire" means that the corpse was mutilated or bound after death
to prevent it to raise as a vampire and feed on the living