Durmstrang has long been known for being one of the biggest Wizarding Schools in Europe alongside Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The Institute is situated far in the North of Europe and admits many students from places that even reach Bulgaria!
The little-known fact about Durmstrang is that the name is borrowed from the German expression Sturm und Drang which translates to “storm and stress” in this context. But that’s the thing, isn’t it? What makes Durmstrang a whispered and revered name - in some cases - is that it is notorious for featuring Dark Arts as part of the Curriculum and its intensive history of Students and Teachers heading down the dark path makes us wonder if this is a school at all or if it is indeed what we all wonder: a secret base.
The Buzz Behind DurmstrangWhile the location of Durmstrang has not been explicitly stated in the books or the movies, it is believed to be in the Northern part of Europe. Noticing that the uniform of the Institute features fur cloaks, fur hats and blood-red robes itself is a clue that regardless of the location, the place is extremely cold.
When talking about his school, Victor Krum - Drumstrang Champion of the Triwizard Tournament 1994-1995 - had said that they had “four floors, and the fires are lit only for magical purposes.” They are believed to have larger grounds than the Hogwarts Grounds. On the other hand, JKR has said that Drumstrang has a “great, dark, spectral ship that is moored on a mountain lake behind the school”. All in all, Durmstrang is believed to be the most secretive of the eleven wizarding Schools.
But looking at all of these clues has led to a group of people believing that the Academy is located in Northern Scandinavia - the very north of Sweden or Norway.
In its essence, the Secrecy isn’t what gives the School its charm. Drumstrang’s apparent favour for pure-bloods along with the Dark Arts in its curriculum as well as having multiple famous alumni turn over to the dark side is what makes Durmstrang privy to suspicion.
Durmstrang strictly did not allow Muggle-borns as their students and the prejudice against them was highly prevalent among them. However, not everyone was influenced by this as Hermione Granger had been Victor Krum’s date to the Yule Ball in 1994.
It has been said that Lucius Malfoy - a known death eater - had wanted his son Draco to attend the Institute rather than Hogwarts but it was his mother, Narcissa Malfoy, who had objected to this because she believed it would be too far from home.
Terrifying Figures Down The Heritage
Nerida Vulchanova – the Bulgarian witch who founded – Durmstrang suffered from a “mysterious” and untimely death. Her successor, however, Harfang Munter was the one who gave Durmstrang its reputation as a dangerous school. He was the one who stressed the importance of offensive magic and duelling as an integral part of Durmstrang’s curriculum which lives up to its name even to date. It is absolutely no wonder why he was often remembered as a wizard of “dubious allegiance or nefarious intent”.
But that in itself is some of the lesser-known names, the most famous one from among the Durmstrang alumnus is Gellert Grindelwald. He was a student of Durmstrang somewhere between 1880 and 1890s and was a very talented and extremely powerful wizard - even for his age.
However, even with the support of Durmstrang and its own history with Dark Arts, the experiments were considered dangerous for the students, the Institute could no longer ignore the signs and was forced to expel him. Gellert before leaving the school had carved the mark of Deathly Hallows. It was permanent and irremovable. Regardless of his history, Gellert is still considered one of the best and strongest products of Durmstrang.
Even going forward in his life, he was perhaps one of the most powerful wizards to ever exist who was only second to Albus Dumbledore and Lord Voldemort. His friendship and romantic relations with Albus Dumbledore and Albus’ own blindness to Gellert’s fanatic ideas are often considered the reason for his downfall. .
Not a Base!
While the above might indicate that Durmstrang might be nothing short of a Secret Base for perhaps powerful wizards who turned to the dark side, this can be refuted by the next person who was Durmstrang’s headmaster at a particular time.
Igor Karkoff – one of Lord Voldemort’s death eaters – had been involved in the first Wizarding War, when being captured had offered information to the Council of Magic Law, in exchange for leniency for his war crimes. However the information he had provided turned out not to be of much use as the names he had provided had already been long dead or turned to the other side by then. However, the name of Augustus Rookwood was revealed and he was sent back to Azkaban for a review of his case.
After his release, Igor turned into the Durmstrang’s Headmaster – however, not all was merry as the school started losing students due to Igor’s own lack of principle and ego. During the Second Wizarding War and the events of the Triward Tournament, he fled on the night of 24th June 1995 – away with fear for his life for having betrayed the dark Lord and his followers in the first wizarding war.
Let me know what you think of Durmstrang below!