The Rise of Grindelwald 1881-1945

written by Anatoli Harvie

This is a book with references to all the events took part at the rise of Grindelwald. Timeline 188-1945

Last Updated

05/31/21

Chapters

54

Reads

701

1945

Chapter 53
Albus Dumbledore defeats the dark wizard Grindelwald

The threat posed by Grindelwald and his plans for world domination become so dire that the Wizarding world clamors for Dumbledore to intervene. It is only when he has no choice that Dumbledore finally confronts his old friend in an epic duel. In the end, Dumbledore wins the duel and takes Grindelwald’s wand, the Elder Wand of Deathly Hallows fame. This battle is such a notable event that it is featured on Dumbledore’s Chocolate Frog card as one of the three things for which Dumbledore is particularly famous (PS6). Grindelwald is subsequently imprisoned in Nurmengard (DH18).

Timeline Notes
The spectacular final battle between Dumbledore and Grindelwald takes place in 1945, the final year of World War Two, and the year that Voldemort finishes Hogwarts.

Grindelwald remains imprisoned at Nurmengard until his murder by Voldemort in 1998 (DH23).

Notes
Rowling apparently planned for Grindelwald to have been killed in this epic duel. Here are her comments in an interview from 2005:

ES: Our other “Ask Jo” question [is] about Grindelwald, which I’m sure you’ve been gearing up for us to ask.
JKR: Uh huh.
ES: Clearly -
JKR: Come on then, remind me. Is he dead?
ES: Yeah, is he dead?
JKR: Yeah, he is.
ES: Is he important?
JKR: [regretful] Ohhh...
ES: You don’t have to answer but can you give us some backstory on him?
JKR: I'm going to tell you as much as I told someone earlier who asked me. You know Owen who won the [UK television] competition to interview me? He asked about Grindelwald [pronounced "Grindelvald" HMM…]. He said, “Is it coincidence that he died in 1945,” and I said no. It amuses me to make allusions to things that were happening in the Muggle world, so my feeling would be that while there's a global Muggle war going on, there's also a global wizarding war going on.

Interesting that Dumbledore, who we see as a peace-loving, gentle old man, was so revered by the Wizarding community that he was called upon specifically to be the champion to defeat this powerful Dark Wizard. One can't help but wonder if the world at large knew of Dumbledore's personal connection to Grindelwald and if that figured into their plea that he deal with his old friend.

June, 1945
Galatea Merrythought retires from Hogwarts

"Sir, is it true that Professor Merrythought is retiring?"
-- Tom RIddle to Horace Slughorn, who is amazed that Riddle had heard of this (HBP17)

Merrythought has been the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for fifty years. Her impending retirement becomes known to Tom Riddle, who asks Headmaster Dippet for the position upon leaving school.

September 2nd, 1945
World War Two ends

The global conflict, in which Frank Bryce fought and was injured, ends when Japan surrenders after atomic bombs are dropped on Hiroshima and Nagaski. The official date of the end of the war is September 2, 1945, when the document of surrender is signed aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo harbor.

Notes
According to Rowling, it is not a coincidence that this event in the Muggle world occurs the same year as Albus Dumbledore's defeat of Gellert Grindelwald, whose revolutionary campaign parallels World War II:

It amuses me to make allusions to things that were happening in the Muggle world, so my feeling would be that while there's a global Muggle war going on, there's also a global wizarding war going on (TLC).

Hogwarts is Here © 2024
HogwartsIsHere.com was made for fans, by fans, and is not endorsed or supported directly or indirectly with Warner Bros. Entertainment, JK Rowling, Wizarding World Digital, or any of the official Harry Potter trademark/right holders.
Powered by minerva-b