Connections Between Real World Nazism and Ministry Propaganda

The social issues and atrocities that have occurred in this world have striking similarities to the happenings in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. A large parallel that has been drawn between real life and this magical world compares Nazis and Hitler to Voldemort, Death Eaters and the Ministry of Magic. There are many similarities between the two and it is no surprise that the author wanted to make a point out of such a grave period in history. The ideas of, social and racial ideals, propaganda, and rise to power can be seen within the two worlds and happened in very similar ways. Racial and social ideals in Nazi Germany were the driving points of the holocaust, and the same can be said about how purebred wizards felt about mudbloods and phasing them out of the Wizarding World. Both can be connected to a term mentioned in the reading Was Voldemort a Nazi?. When making a comparison between Nazis and Death Eaters the author states, “…The term “social death”… used to describe the position of slaves in a civil society, but this term is also useful in analyzing the position of Jews and other “racial undesirables” in Germany during the 1930’s” (Reagin 142).  This real world example connects strongly to the term “Mudblood” (a wizard with one or two muggle-born parents) and how they are viewed in the wizarding world. Both the Nazis and The Death Eaters (and many Ministry supporters) used propaganda to encourage a purification within their world. Both groups want to keep “purebred”/Aryans the dominant race and they form reward systems for people who support this propaganda. There are several examples of Nazi propaganda from a website titled “High Style of Nazi Propaganda (1925-1930)”. When comparing these images to Ministry of Magic propaganda (found on google), they two are remarkably similar. There was one poster that stood out to me in particular, it was a poster of a hand holding a sword in the air and a phrase that translates to “Germans, For You!”. There is an almost identical image for Ministry propaganda and it says “when muggles attack” and there is a wizard holding a lightning bolt in a stabbing position. I think the two send the same exact message that violence is the solution and that people should praise those images.  Another parallel I was able to draw was the one between the power of German Dictatorship and Absolute power in the Wizarding world. In the article Magic is Might the author mentions that, “The Minister ruled with more independence and authority than any Muggle Prime Minister…” (Liedl 154). This quote could also be used to the way Hitler had complete control over his audience and his followers. He was not following any constitutional rules and he was simply running off of pure authority and power, much like the Minister of Magic does. Both “rulers” gained their position and their following through propaganda and spreading ideals that other people would idealize for themselves. To further support this, the author then states “Without the political freedom enjoyed by witches and wizards in governing their increasingly isolated community, ambitious and charismatic Muggles rose to power….” (Liedl 162). This example of a rise to power is exactly how Hitler gained his power during the Second World War. He used his charisma and his outstanding public speaking skills to get people on his side, and several Prime Ministers both magic and muggle did the same. All of these ideas of social and racial ideals, propaganda and rise to power were highly visible in both Nazi Germany and the Wizarding world where the extinction of mudbloods is still on the rise and used as means for justice.