Durmstrang

[GodricSlytherin]

Sturm und Drang
Extreme stress and pain

DurmStrang

Do the kids in that school go through extreme pain and stress? It comes across to me as a very dark school. Victor may be evil. Who knows who could come from that school being evil.

[Bilbo]

According to D. Colbert's Magical Worlds of Harry Potter, Durmstrang was a type of art particularly popular in Nazi Germany. However, I would have to say it does have a wicked sense about it.

I doubt Krum is evil though.

[jodiekins]

Probably very stressed, with karkaroff... they said he made them steer the ship, which would lead one to beleive that he doesn't act that nice to them, which would result in stress/pain.. he only favored Krum because he was famous, I dont think that affected him, he didnt seem to like K

[WhiteSlash]

I don't think Krum is evil. He's attracked to Hermione. Not to be mean to people who love Hermione or something(She's my favorite character also) but she's as goody, good as can be. Plus he's a famous Quidditch player.

[hermownninny]

by Jodiekins
he only favored Krum because he was famous

yeah, that's true..I bet Krum is just tired of people around him all the time just because he is famous; so he does not fight anymore to stop it......I don't think he is evil..maybe he just went to Durmstrang because it was closer to him (same reason why Malfoy went to Hogwarts)...

So, I bet that is why he likes Hermione, because she doesn't make a big deal about the fact that he is a internationally famous Quidditch player...in fact, she doesn't make any fuss at all.....I bet that she was going to the library everytime to do her SPEW thing and she didn't even notice him there...so he liked her because she wasn't around him all day asking for autographs with lipstick....:smooch:

Krum.....:love:

[Ash_Key]

Originally posted by Meli
I don't think Krum is evil. He's attracked to Hermionehe's a


I thought you said 'attacked'. heh heh heh:p

[Weatherby]

Krum is probably just a darkhorse. A brooder but evil?
However he might not realise some of his spells aren't favoured if he decides to remain in England.

Hmm.. Krum is labelled evil but many people rush to defend Malfoy from *his* upbringing?

[rotsiepots]

"Sturm und drang" is just a German expression. It's advisable not to take its meaning literally, just as you wouldn't take English expressions such as "A rolling stone gathers no moss" literally. It's often used in times of turbulence and upheaval, but isn't necessarily specific in its meaning.

[Mr. Granger]

"Sturm und Drang" could be translated with "Rush and aim (for sth.)". It was the time of Goethe, Schiller and co during which they wrote poems and other literature that "rushed" away from the norm and aimed for a new point of view of the world (Alright I packed one of the most important times in literature in one sentence, even not a good one, so don´t take it as the ultimate description.). Drumstrang is just an anapher of those words. Normally the time of "Sturm und Drang" is regarded very positively.

[Sirius Black]

Well, Jkr probably wanted to make the name sound evil since it taught Dark arts. She didn't want it to be English, so she made it Drumstrang in another language(don't know which one though). And does anyone know what Hogwarts means?

[Mr. Granger]

It is german as has been mentioned before.
I found out there has been a german castle during the nazi reihn named Surmdrang, so its an anagram to the german word.

[dog star]

So is the school in Germany? I always thought it was in Russia or something...but I didn't know the origin of the name before, either.

[Mr. Granger]

No the school has to be somewhere in Russia or Bulgaria, so east of Poland even, because of the names. The headmaster is Karkaroff for example.
I think the name was used because of the connection
dark magic - nazi germany.

[Sirius Black]

And has anyone heard of the Black Forest of Germany. People say it's haunted by witches and stuff. Maybe that's why she chose Germany. Then looked up a name of a castle, and made a meaning.
But why did she make it in Bulgaria??? I think she likes to make us look up the stuff, how cleverly she made it, and make us challenge our minds, and debate.

[Qeomash]

Originally posted by Sirius Black
And has anyone heard of the Black Forest of Germany. People say it's haunted by witches and stuff.

The Black Forest is where Quirrel first met Voldemort. So, in the HP world, it is haunted by an evil wizard...

I've always thought that atleast one of the three schools will side with Voldemort. Drumstrang seems the liklest choice. It'd be a great plot twist...

[Sirius Black]

Oh yeah, forgot about that. Then surely, Drumstrang will side with Voldemort, but with Karkaroff running off, maybe Voldemort will take Drumstrang and teach the darkest of the dark arts there.

[Mr. Granger]

The Black Forest is a "normal" forest in Germany in real life.
In the HP universe its haunted, thats right.
And she made it in Bulgaria so that people realize there is more in the world than their own country *coughUSAcough*

[Inkwolf]

The German Black Forest may be considered 'normal' by Muggles today, but it's the setting of all the Grimm's Fairy Tales!

Krumm is Bulgarian, but that doesn't mean that's exactly where the school is. It's supposed to be somewhere really cold, so why not Siberia, and the frozen Russian steppes, and all that? (BTW, what are steppes?)

[Cat]

Speaking of Germany, there has to be at least one school in The Alps! Somewhere about Bavaria. Or maybe not, because that might be a bit tourist-y.

[jodiekins]

Why can't there be a school from Canada? :(

[Mr. Granger]

Steppes is a different word for plains.
The Russian steps is quite a term, there are ice plains all over asian Russia, most probably ment by tihs is the northern part of central Russia, where almost no people live

[Manyasha]

The Black Forest is where Quirrel first met Voldemort. So, in the HP world, it is haunted by an evil wizard...

Unless I'm much mistaken, Quirrel met Voldemort in Albania. And The Black Forest is in Germany. And Albania and Germany are different things.;)

There's a thread about the location of Durmstrang here (http://www.cosforums.com/a/showthread.php?s=&threadid=774). Please discuss this issue there.:)

Well, about Durmstrang itself, I think there are some good wizards there, including Krum, like the are/were some evil wizards in Hogwarts. Maybe it's darker than Hogwarts, but there's a possibility of finding anti-Voldemort wizards there. Plus, Karkaroff is not a headmaster anymore.

Oh, and this is for Inkwolf:
My dictionary says that
steppe (step') - level treeless plain, esp. of South-Eastern Europe and Siberia.
What a weird dictionary. We always learned that there is no such thing as frozen steppe (in Siberia, for example), because we have a special name for a "Siberian steppe" - tundra. I'm confusing myself. Never mind.;)

[hermownninny]

But if the school is in Russia, then what is the common language...because in Hogwarts they only speak English..but we know that Krum only speaks English and another language...what's that other LANGUAGE????:??: That shuld be the language spoken at school....Maybe Norway...

Oh Wait!! Maybe ICELAND!!!! it is an island...and well, they had a ship after all...maybe they use the ship to get to school....like Hogwarts use the Hogwarts Express....

The question is..if it is so far away North...then why did Krum go there???/

[Ashkins]

Krum was on the Bulgarian team at the World Cup..

[zora_domina]

I did two searches for this, and found nothing - so if there is a thread already please tell me or merge!

I was thinking about how we've been told that Salazar argued about who should and should not get "in" to Hogwarts due to their bloodline. He supposedly left but before he did, he created the CoS. Okay.

But what did he do "THEN?" After he left? Where did he go? What kind of mayhem did he do? Did he, as the subject line says, found another school of magic?

Part of the problem is that we don't know much about either of the other two mentioned schools. But they at Durmstrang seem to concentrate a bit more on the darker sides of things, quicker and nastier magics. Would it follow that one of the four greatest Wizards of that era might live long enough to do this? We don't know when Durmstrang was founded, either, but ...

Any thoughts?

-zora

[Sirius83]

It's a good theory. Durmstrang seems to deal a lot with the Dark Arts, it's quite possible...

[Barbara Kennedy]

I believe it possible that he did help with the creation of Durmstrang. Maybe with the help of other like-minded wizards?

[Mike21]

Well Durmstrang iis a famous school so it must have been founded at the same time as beax batons.

I think that great wizards from their relavent countries came together to create school that were as great as hogworts in their own land.

[Alastor D]

Yes, why not? Do we have any idea of when Durmstrang was founded?
Slytherin can't have been the only friend of dark arts and pure blood.

[Moonstone]

Is it stated anywhere if Hogwarts was the first magical school?

[Doggy]

Very good point. I've never thought of that. That would definatly explain the whole dark arts fascination - Salazar Slytherin was never pleasant and now he wouldn't have three other people to hold him back - if he didn't start the school with someone else (his wife? (well, he had a son/daughter, right?))

[FawkesBox]

This is a very interesting theory and since I can think of no evidence against it- why not?

[Filius Flitwick]

Hmm, but no evidence against it isn't very good reasoning. ;)

I don't think he founded it...however, I do think some of his followers may have done it. Possibly some of the early students of Hogwarts(those who studied under him), traveling to a place where they could practice the dark arts freely.

[miri]

So is there an heir of Slytherin from Durmstrang too?

Hmmm...

*Ponderance*

[Alastor D]

Here we go again. Slytherin's heirs lurking behind every corner.
But i wouldn't be surprised if Slytherin has a prominent role in History teaching at Durmstrang.

[miri]

Well, 57th cousin 78 times removed... ;)

Who says the heir has to be closely related?

[stellaluna]

This is interesting. It doesn't have to be Slytherin himself, though. I don't suppose he was the only one with such an opinion. Though, of course, it could be that he wanted to do on his unfinished work he started at Hogwarts.

Does anybody have closer proof? As though...;)

[shawntat]

I do not think Voldermort founded Durmstrang, as for a Slytherin heir, maybe but chances are it was probably founded by someone or some people who follow Voldie.

[Jessica]

My college (Williams) was founded in 1792. In the early 1800's the college president stole half the library and founded what was to become our arch-rival (Amherst).

If it was well known I would think there might be more rivalry between the two schools.

But 1000 years is more than 200 so maybe the wound is less fresh.

[stellaluna]

I very much doubt that Voldemort had anything to do with the foundation of Durmstrang. First, I do think it's way older and second I don't think he's to blame for everything bad in the Wizarding world.

Does anybody know where the word Durmstrang comes from? Maybe this would help. There wherer rumours that it has roots in the German language. I am frpoom Germany, and I could only trhink of the part 'strang', what's an old german word for 'rope'.

[miri]

Der strang would be *the strand* or *the rope*... maybe it's got something to do with *give him enough rope to hang himself*?

[shawntat]

That is exactly what I thought, give them enough rope to hang themselves.....

[Alastor D]

Originally posted by stellaluna (original post (http://www.cosforums.com/a/showthread.php?postid=344492#post344492))

Does anybody know where the word Durmstrang comes from? Maybe this would help. There wherer rumours that it has roots in the German language. I am frpoom Germany, and I could only trhink of the part 'strang', what's an old german word for 'rope'.


Many people believe it's a play with "Sturm und Drang". I don't think JKR ever confirmed it though.

[Kes]

That seems like a good idea but I think the founder(s) of Durmstrang was/were Germain or where the nationality of wherever Durmstrang is located (seeing as they keep it secret) and i think Slytherin was probably brittish, as Hogwarts is located in Scotland.

But even if he didn't creat Durmstrang, what did he do? we know he left but obviously not to a quiet home life of a thacher or anything. He probably wanted to do something else with his life, so what is that? I don't necisarily think he is evil though, just because he wanted to be more exclusive, doesn't mean he wanted to rule the world. Does anyone have any ideas? Any knowlage of ledgends of people who cold talk to snakes?

[Auri DeMeer]

Yes!!! It's one of my theories (I posted it before somewhere....):

Salazar, after leaving Hogwarts, traveled to another country and founded Durmstrang, where obviously more accent is given to Dark Arts.

I also think the Slytherin descendants lived all in that country and went to Durmstrang. All of them, until Voldemort's mother for whatever reason (not agreeing with her family about treatment to Muggles, for instance) ended up in Little Hangleton and met Tom Riddle Sr. - We know the rest of the story.

That would explain why Tom Riddle Jr is the only heir to Slytherin who managed to find and open the Chamber of Secrets in Hogwarts: the previous descendants didn't do it because they were in Durmstrang!

This theory also explains why Tom Riddle Jr went traveling after finishing in Hogwarts: he went to the country where Durmstrang is to look for his family on his mother's side and who knows what he did to them.

I hope some of this becomes true! What do you think?

[Jessica]

Okay random idea. May or may not connect.

What if Grindelwald is the heir of whoever founded Durmstrang? Both german names, I know such good evidence!

Not mutually exclusive that this was Slytherin. He still could have founded both.

[mrscoach]

Originally posted by Alastor D (original post (http://www.cosforums.com/a/showthread.php?postid=344531#post344531))
Many people believe it's a play with "Sturm und Drang". I don't think JKR ever confirmed it though.


There's a thread in the Common Room called Analyzing Names, and I had actually asked if Durmstrang came from Sturm und Drang. The post right after mine confirmed it, and the poster said that she had read this in the Unofficial Guide to Harry Potter. So it's not straight from JKR, but it certainly makes sense to me. Assume the name Durmstrang is supposed to mean basically the same thing as Sturm und Drang. Storm and Stress. Durmstrang is noted for being the only school that actually teaches Dark Arts, not just defense against them. So you'd think at least that would make it a little more "stormy" at Durmstrang than other schools. I also think it's interesting that the Durmstrang students and Karkarov came in a ship - like you would see on an ocean - maybe a stormy ocean - in GOF.

[Mad-I Moody]

It seems logical that Durmstrang could have been founded by Slytherin after he left Hogwarts. It does teach the dark arts, and, as Malfoy said, it doesn't admit Muggle-borns. I think he calls them "riff-raff" or something. Or am I imagining that? Anyway, if it doesn't, it makes sense that Slytherin left Hogwarts to open a school that only taught pure-bloods.

[rotsiepots]

Popular rumour has it that Durmstrang is located in Latvia. Now, I'm not entirely sure of the teaching practices at Durmstrang, but presumably they don't teach in English -- would Slytherin even have the linguisitic capabilities to establish a school in a foreign country?

Similarly, if Slytherin really was so embittered at his treatment by the other three Hogwarts founders, wouldn't he have established a rival school within the UK? I doubt he was the founder of Durmstrang -- he built the Chamber of Secrets and he had his revenge.

[Cat]

Originally posted by rotsiepots (original post (http://www.cosforums.com/a/showthread.php?postid=344772#post344772))
Popular rumour has it that Durmstrang is located in Latvia. Now, I'm not entirely sure of the teaching practices at Durmstrang, but presumably they don't teach in English -- would Slytherin even have the linguisitic capabilities to establish a school in a foreign country?


Actually, 'Salazar Slytherin' doesn't sound like an English name to begin with. Maybe he was a well-travelled gentleman.

I think Slytherin must have settled down and started a family at some point. Or at least started a family.

[zora_domina]

I agree, Cat, neither first nor last names are at all English or found much on the Isles. Are they? And I know I'm gonna get slammed because I can't remember my legendary folk properly, but ... where was it that all the snakes got drummed out of? *glances away embarrassed*. Maybe that little bit of "legend/mythology" has something to do with his leaving. There being no snakes to talk to.

I don't think Voldemort had anything to do with Durmstrang other than he "got followers there". But, if Slytherin helped found it, or supported it in its early years (or his offspring did, which may be more likely the case) that would draw a more solid foundation between he and the Death Eaters who might have come from there. Perhaps out of familial loyalty?

-zora

[Nekomata]

"where was it that all the snakes got drummed out of? " All of the Snakes were chased out of Ireland by Saint patrick. Hmmm...on a completely miscellanious note, there's a girl at my school with the last name Salazar, makes my dorky self laugh every time I hear it.

More about Salazar's name. I can't find the name origin, but I did find this - As I searched the internet, I found some websites by people (obviously not HP fans, so my findings aren't scewerd)with 'Salazar' somewhere in their name. Here's another odd thing - most of these people seemed to be Spanish, and if they weren't, they had a plain John Doe type of name.

[Nekomata]

Here's some more random randomness before I quit this thread. I tried to translate parts of Salazar's name (compliments go to www.dictionary.com). Salazar didn't translate as a whole, but this did (this probably having nothing to do with Salazar's character...

IN SPANISH
Sal = 'salt'
Sala = 'room'
Lazar = 'to lasso'

IN FRENCH
Sa = 'its'
Sala = 'salted'

hmmm...yeahh

[rotsiepots]

I've always assumed Slytherin was named after António de Oliveira Salazar, former dictator of Portugal.

The name does suit him, after all. ;)

[Alastor D]

Originally posted by rotsiepots (original post (http://www.cosforums.com/a/showthread.php?postid=344772#post344772))
Popular rumour has it that Durmstrang is located in Latvia.

Latvia is a bit too far south to fit "very little daylight in winter". Riga is at about the same latitude as Aberdeen. I'm not sure, but I have a feeling that there's not very much hills and lakes either.

There's more about possible locations for Durmstrang in the thread "Durmstrang & Beauxbatons students know where Hogwarts is!":)

[Nekomata]

Another point, why would a Spaniard found a German school ?

I think it's German {or something from a German speaking country}, check out the translation:

DURMSTRANG
(In German)

Sturm - 'storm'
Drang - 'penetrated'

(Rang = 'struggled')


Some German Speaking countries are (from what I can gather):
*Germany (of course)
*Austria
*Switzerland

and some countries that probably also speak German in some parts (and surround Germany):
*Poland
*Czech Republic
*Belgium
*Netherlands
*Denmark

Here's a Map that May Help (http://www.kijkopinternet.nl/ecpa/preservation/index.cfm)

[Alastor D]

German may be the language of the school, but it's hard to imagine Germany as it's location. Once upon a time German was a common language all around the Baltic Sea. Also in Russia.

[Nekomata]

Hmmm. very true...but when was this once upon a time we speak of? The drak ages? Rennaissance? Middle Ages? The could very well affect where we go with this.

Let's look at some of the students names...hmmm..actually, th only one I know is Viktor Krum...
Viktor (according to www.behindthename.com) is listed as being Scandinavian, German, Hungarian, Polish, Czech, Bulgarian, Russian, Croatian, and Serbian

[Alastor D]

From the time of the Hanse league (medieval) until German became unpopular after WW2. As late as 30 years ago I was told by a guy in St Petersburg (it was called Leningrad then) to speak either Russian or German, or not to speak at all because they don't bother to learn English. I think this has changed since the downfall of the Soviet Union.

[Prof.Aze]

Hey nice theory... It all also fits that Slytherin made the school. But if he really did wouldn't it be known to everyone? Like Hogwarts was founded by four of the greatest witches and wizards of the time. I mean Slytherin is famous. If he really did made the school then it was supposed to known to all of the wizarding world.

[stellaluna]

Maybe he wanted to keep it secret? Why? Because he would have been critizised for building a school basing on such racial ideologies.

That's interesting. I always expected Durmstrang in Finland or Russia. Look at the name Karkarov. Sounds more Russian than German to me ;).

[Alastor D]

Originally posted by stellaluna (original post (http://www.cosforums.com/a/showthread.php?postid=345475#post345475))

That's interesting. I always expected Durmstrang in Finland or Russia. Look at the name Karkarov. Sounds more Russian than German to me ;).


Actually I did, in the thread I mentioned here earlier, develope a theory that the location might be the Kola peninsula. And that's Russia. This based on the following facts:
1 very little daylight in winter
2 very cold winters
3 lakes and hills
These fit also northern parts of Finland, Sweden and Norway, but they are crowded by muggles, which the Kola is not.

The name Igor Karkaroff is probably of Russian origin, but proves nothing about the location of this school.:)

[Kes]

Salaz, is a word in spanish, add an -ar to the end you get the infinitive form of a made-up verb....

If this is the word JKR derived slytherin's first name from then, there are probably pleanty of more heirs of slytherin...

[Auri DeMeer]

I hope to bring some light into the meaning of the Salazar name we're discussing.

Origen: Castellano
Del valle de su nombre en Burgos. Pasó a la conquista de Cuenca, donde fundó nueva casa, extendiéndose luego por toda la penÃ_nsula y América.
Escudo de Armas: en un campo de gules, trece estrellas de oro.
Translation:
The origin is Castilian (from a valley in Burgos - Spanish province). He conquered Cuenca and his name extended around the Iberian peninsula and America. And then it explains his coat of arms.

By the way I found this in www.misapellidos.com

[stellaluna]

The Kola theory sounds good, yes. And I was silly expecting Karklaroff giving us a hint for the location. Does anybody recall ther names of Durmstrang students? Apart from Krum... Were they mentioned at all?

[Sherbet Lemon]

Sturm und Drang is the name of a 19th century litterary current, which Goethe is assimilated with. It was a precursor to romantism, and dealt mostly with passion, sensitivity, images of Nature, frailty of human existence.

I wonder if there's some melodrama in stall for Durmstrang... I think Victor Krum is going to get some serious flak from the upcoming wizarding war. After all, with a name like that, "Storm and Stress", Durmstrang can't be a very peaceful place... Death Eater invasion, maybe?

As for the location, I would have thought it's near the North Pole, probably north of Siberia... in a pool of seawater amid the icebergs.

[Alastor D]

Yes, Stellaluna, at least one was mentioned. Poliakoff. (GoF ch. 16)

And, Sherbet Lemon, Dumbledore told it's an European school. Siberia and North Pole ruled out. (ch. 12)

He also told that the Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago. (ch. 12) So we know Durmstrang isn't very recently founded.

[stellaluna]

Very good research Alastor! Cheers!

However, SHerbet, what you said about the Wiz War could be true, but- who'll direct Durmstrang, now that Karkaroff has fled? In case some blood-pure-thingy-neutral person direted it now, I don't thing it could be overrun by Deatheaters.

[Sherbet Lemon]

I'd vouch for Victor Krum as the next leader of Durmstrang, since he basically did all the work himself until now (Karkaroff is basically as much of a headmaster as Lockhart was a professor)...
As for Durmstrang being in Europe, why not north of Finland, Norway or Russia? It would fit in with being near the North Pole and being in Europe...

Also I said it could be invaded by Death Eaters... I'm sure they could make use of Durmstrang, especially if it were to turn out that Slytherin did teach there...
After all, the only reason Hogwarts doesn't get attacked (en masse) is Dumbledore and company.

[zora_domina]

Well, it's primarily Polish and Russian namesakes, really. I assumed it would be somewhere at least near Russia's many borders. Northern, obviously.

Would Victor *want* to be the new head of that school? He didn't seem particularly interested in zipping back... It seemed to me more out of pained loyalty to the school, than anything more heartfelt.

Besides, he's in league with a muggleborn girl. Who'd want THAT heading their school? ;)

-zora

[Nekomata]

didn't Viktor say that it was beautiful and green in the summer.

[Alastor D]

[quote]Originally posted by Sherbet Lemon (original post (http://www.cosforums.com/a/showthread.php?postid=346071#post346071))
As for Durmstrang being in Europe, why not north of Finland, Norway or Russia? It would fit in with being near the North Pole and being in Europe...

Exactly. The Kola peninsula IS in Russia. It's the easternmost part of Fennoscandia. And northern Finland, Norway and Sweden are geographically equally possible. And they are all beautifully green in summer. But there's also the possibility that JKR never thoght that much about where it would be.

Names like Karkaroff and Poliakoff may, as far as I know, be from any Slavic language. Krum is definitely a Bulgarian name.

Sadly enough, I'm afraid that Viktor Krum is still a bit too young to be appointed headmaster. But who knows?:)

[stellaluna]

Originally posted by Sherbet Lemon (original post (http://www.cosforums.com/a/showthread.php?postid=346071#post346071))
I'd vouch for Victor Krum as the next leader of Durmstrang, since he basically did all the work himself until now (Karkaroff is basically as much of a headmaster as Lockhart was a professor)...


I doubt that. He is too young. It's like Percy was Headmaster in GoF. Could you imagine that? Me not. Plus, that's again too superficial. It's (besides Poliakoff) the only person we know from Durmstrang. That would be a bit obvious.

[rotsiepots]

I'm changing the title of this thread to something generic about Durmstrang because we seem to be getting a bit off topic. ;)

I took this snippet from the Lexicon:


Where is Durmstrang?
Many people have suggested locations as diverse as Norway, Russia (especially Siberia), the Alps, Germany and Latvia for Durmstrang. Some members believe that Durmstrang was the primary wizarding school of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire.

The following are arguments for and against each location:

The Alps –
PRO: Krum describes the school as having extensive grounds where he flies a lot over the lakes and mountains.
CON: Nowhere in Switzerland is far north enough for the shortness of days described at Durmstrang.

Norway –
PRO: Someone who grew up in southern Norway would think the night lengths in winter she was used to were perfectly normal, but someone who grew up in Bulgaria would think that even southern Norway's winter nights were depressingly long and that it was very cold.
PRO and CON: The middle part of Norway is too warm, according to a member who grew up there. The very north, however, would be cold and deserted enough.

Russia/Siberia –
PRO: It's cold enough to justify fur capes as part of the uniform. Siberia is big enough and remote enough to hide all sorts of interesting things. In American and British pop culture, cold and cynical bad guys almost always come from Russia. The presence of a Bulgarian student (Krum) and one other student with a slavic name reinforces the eastern block image. A member pondered whether the Tunguska explosion of 1918 wasn't an asteroid or a piece of anti-matter after all, but something perpetrated by Gilderoy Lockhart's great-uncle. Murmansk, in Northern Russia, is just west of the northern tips of Norway and Finland, in the vicinity of Lappland, near the White Sea. There are a number of lakes there, and Victor Krum described Durmstrang as being located in a region with many lakes.

CON: While Russia is traditionally considered part of Europe, and Siberia has traditionally been part of Russia, geographically, Siberia is located in Asia.

Germany –

PRO: There is similarity between Durmstrang and the German words Sturm and Drang (Storm and Stress), the German literary movement.

CON: Nowhere in Germany is far enough north for the coldness and shortness of days described at Durmstrang.

Latvia –

PRO: Latvia is part of Europe and was in the former USSR. There were, for many centuries, a large number of Germans living in Latvia. If students from Slavic countries were taught in German, they wouldn't be any worse off than all medieval students whose schools taught in Latin!

CON: None so far; if you have arguments for this category, please bring them up on the list.


Take from here (http://www.i2k.com/~svderark/lexicon/faq/geography.html).

[zora_domina]

Um, yeah. I kinda wanted it to remain *on* the topic of Slytherin founding Durmstrang. Now, i guess that's not going to happen...

-zora

[Alastor D]

Sorry, zora, I feel partly guilty here. But the only clue we have is that Durmstrang has existed at least some 7 hundred years. Not very much to build a discussion on, I'm afraid. Anyway "They shared a wish, a hope, a dream," It's highly possible that Slytherin never abandoned that. And therefore left to found another school where HIS ideas would apply. If so, that one might have been Durmstrang.

And the snippet from the lexicon rotsie was kind enough to quote for us.
No cons for Latvia, eh? I beg you pardon for repeating myself, but if Durmstrang were in Latvia it wouldn't have winter days any shorter than Hogwarts!!! I think we have to go northwards and cross the gulf of Finland to find considerable shorter days.
Some numbers for comparison:
Helsinki (latitude abt 60 degrees) Dec 22 twilight 58 min, dark 16 h 14 min and Jan 22 twilight 51 min, dark 15 h 10 min.
Utsjoki (lat. abt 70 degrees) Dec 22 tw (4 h 13min), dark 19 h 47 min and Jan 22 tw 1 h 52 min, dark 17 h 28 min.

[incognito]

We know that the Death Eaters were called Knights of Walpurgis until JKR gave them their current name!Considering the information I found about these Knights they would have been pureblooded wizards ,power seeking and trying to keep their "noble" ancestry and family fame!When a dark wizard is loose in the world they immediatly join him,like they did ,probably,with Slytherin after he left Hogwarts!He shared his believings about the pureblood race and so the Knights of Walpurgis,even after Salazar died they continued his work to cleanse the world of the "so called spies"!He believed that muggleborns, or mudbloods how he calls them were real spies for muggles!Back then wizards had a war with muggles because they were persecuted by them,for example Wendelin the Weird was burnt lots of times but survived cause she used if i remember well "the freezing charm" or something like that! Hogwarts was some sort of defence ,also a place where wizards kids can learn witchcraft and wizardry in peace,not gettin` themselves killed by some crazy ignorants!The Wizard Council* soon convinced the muggle population that wizards do not exist (Fantastic Beasts and Where to find them- Newt Scamander)!So,when they started "recruting" students,Salazar disagreed to let muggleborns join considering them untrustworthy,spies for the muggles! So, he built the CoS from hatred and left the school!Soon after the Knights of Walpurgis joined him,sharing his ideeas about mudbloods!He built Durmstrang in somewhere in either Austria (I thought they speaked a little german and Durmstrang was in a cold place...with icebergs) either Bulgaria...cause Krum was Bulgaria`s seeker!Durmstrang was only SS`s school, where they studied dark arts and only pureblooded wizards were accepted!After Salazar died,the knights continued their "cleansing" and waited until another dark wizard will come,preparing themselves to join him and become his evil crew!They joined Grindewald but he was defeated by Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore in 1952!In the end,they joined YNK** and he named them Death Eaters,considering it e more proper name from them!He gave them the Dark Mark and so on!They became his army...among other creatures and allies!After LV`s downfall they returned into hidding and denied all that they have done!So...it`s possible that after Salazar left the school he built a new one,Durmstrang!This was my ideea! Tell me what u think about it or add something!Excuse me about my gramar mistakes!


* The Wizards` Council preceded the Ministry of Magic (MoM)
** YKW short for You-Know-Who

[Alastor D]

Of course not relevant for the question who founded Durmstrang, but Grindelwald was defeated in 1945.