A combination of my 3 nerd passions: Harry Potter, history and writing; for the longest time I’ve dreamed of a teacher or a professor handing me a prompt that would enable me to tackle, or at least take a peak, at this topic. As graduation approaches within the next year, it looks like I will never get that long awaited opportunity, so I’ve decided to tackle it here.

While Harry Potter is a work of fiction, fiction must draw its inspiration from somewhere and that place is often reality. If you’re a fan of Harry Potter you may have noticed the striking similarities between fictional villain Lord Voldemort and Adolf Hitler. Below are a few examples.

Ideology

Perhaps the most glaring similarity between the two lies in their ideologies. It is well documented that Hitler thought the Jews to be an inferior race that were to blame for many of Germany, and the world’s problem, saying that the Jews were “undoubtedly a race, but they are not human.” His desire was to exterminate the Jews and other inferior peoples so the Aryans, the superior race in his mind, could take over and repopulate. This idea of hatred and ethnic cleansing is visible in the Harry Potter series as well. Voldemort had similar ideas when it came to the wizarding world. He believed that pure-blood wizards were the dominant race and that muggles and others with tainted blood were inferior. Both even went as far to register Jews and Muggles with the state in order to keep track of them.

Rise to Dictatorship

Both villains had incredibly similar pasts. Hitler’s childhood was marred by poverty and abuse. Growing up in a poor area around a lot of Jews his search for a reason for his suffering led him to the works of popular theorists that had incredibly anti-Semitic views. The works of these men greatly influenced Hitler and are echoed in Mein Kampf as well has his governmental policies at the head of the Nazi Party. Voldemort was no stranger to struggle as a youngster either. Born and raised in a muggle orphanage his childhood conditions were less than favorable. Growing up around so many Muggles he began to see their lack of any magical ability as a sign of their inferiority. He believes that those with the gift of magic were special and were put on earth to rule over their less talented counterparts. It seems that the hatred of their pasts led both men to try and destroy any connection they had with it. Besides their similar childhoods both were incredibly persuasive. While Hitler was able to persuade people in more intimate setting, at age 22 he persuaded his crippled aunt to give him his life savings, his really power lay in his speeches. Hitler had the ability to sway the opinions of many and rally the masses. Although Voldemort wasn’t known for his grandiose speeches, his ability to charm and persuade those around him to do his bidding is incredibly similar to the persuasive ability of Hitler. Similar to Hitler persuading his aunt, Voldemort persuaded a wealthy elderly woman, Hepzibah Smith, to give him Hufflepuff’s Cup which he later used to create a Horcrux. It is this persuasiveness that undoubtedly aided their rise to power.

Bloodlines

Perhaps one of the most striking similarities between the two lies in their blood. We know Hitler believed the tall, strong, blond haired and blue eyed Aryan race to be superior; however, he certainly didn’t look the part. Although He had striking blue eyes Hitler definitely had brown hair and stood at a less than menacing 5’9”. Although these claims have been widely debunked, it is also rumored that Hitler’s father came from Jewish blood, meaning what Hitler hated so much may have coursed through his veins. Back in the fictional world, Voldemort believed pure-blood wizards to be superior to half-bloods, and especially those with two muggle parents. The things is, Voldemort wasn’t a pure blood; he was a half-blood born to a muggle father and a witch mother. Just like Hitler, he was not the prime example of the “master race” that he championed. Perhaps another instance of both trying to distance themselves from a past they were ashamed of.

Muscle

Dictators can’t rise to power without some muscle behind him. Stalin had the KGB and Mussolini had the Black Shirts. Hitler had the Nazi party and the SS behind him while Voldemort had the Death Eaters. Both entities struck fear into their enemies and were willing to do their leader bidding, in most situations, no matter what. Similar to the SS Voldemort even had a group of Snatchers at his disposal. Their sole responsibility was to round up anyone who was “undesirable” which usually meant blood traitors and those of muggle birth.

Older Influences

Neither Hitler’s nor Voldemort’s bigotry was original. In the former's case, many historians believe the rise of the Nazi part was just the natural progression of anti-Semitic views in Europe and Germany. Long before Hitler, men like Nietzsche and Engels made their beliefs, that Jews were inferior, well known. It is the works of these man, and others, that influenced many of Adolf’s beliefs later on in his life. Voldemort had older influences as well. One of his ancestors, Salazar Slytherin (one of the original founders of Hogwarts) did not want muggle born witches and wizards admitted to the school. Slytherin’s beliefs were shared by many pure-blood families and undoubtedly influenced Voldemort’s ideology.

Yes, one of this men committed real life atrocities and nearly extinguished an entire race. This piece is not an attempt to trivialize what he did by comparing him to a fictional villain. The purpose of this comparative glance was to just point out some of the similarities between the two that you may have never noticed before. Because you can’t deny it…the two were incredibly alike.