Jayson’s Reviews > Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire > Status Update

Looking at the reviews that you are doing about HP really makes me wanna write some too... I've read HP series more than 20 times but it was all before I joined GR.... I'm soo gonna write reviews the next time I read it!

I found online that Durmstrang is a anagram of the German literary epoch "Sturm und Drang" (literally: "storm and drive"). As far as I remember from school it's a movement that went against the objectivity and rationalism of the Enlightement and was more about the subjective, emotional motives of the individuals.
Wagner was actually a bit later than "Sturm und Drang" and I would consider him more of a representative of the Romantic movement, but that originated in "Sturm und Drang", so your valuation was pretty good!

@GridGirl: I never thought about that! That’s actually quite the exciting new theory 😯

Fatima wrote: "Looking at the reviews that you are doing about HP really makes me wanna write some too... I've read HP series more than 20 times but it was all before I joined GR.... I'm soo gonna write reviews t..."

I'm glad to hear that, Fatima! Looking forward to reading them when you do 😁👍

GridGirl wrote: "I found online that Durmstrang is a anagram of the German literary epoch "Sturm und Drang" (literally: "storm and drive"). As far as I remember from school it's a movement that went against the obj..."

Well, how about that! It's certainly a fitting name for a school that seems an institutional embodiment of the Slytherin ethos. It also contrasts well with Hogwarts, which I'd very much place in the Enlightenment camp. Thanks for filling me in on that! I'm very grateful to have German friends here :)

Jayson wrote: "GridGirl wrote: "I found online that Durmstrang is a anagram of the German literary epoch "Sturm und Drang" (literally: "storm and drive"). As far as I remember from school it's a movement that wen..."

I got curious myself, so I looked up what Durmstrang might stand for and added in a little bit of my knowledge from school :D

Giulia wrote: "@GridGirl: I never thought about that! That’s actually quite the exciting new theory 😯"

Totally with you on that! I'm always learning new and exciting things on rereads :)

GridGirl wrote: "I got curious myself, so I looked up what Durmstrang might stand for and added in a little bit of my knowledge from school :D"

Your effort and insight are greatly appreciated :)

It's funny because the actual translation of "beautiful wand" would be "belle baguette" (baguette both meaning a wand or a piece of bread in French, when a "bâton" is a stick). But I guess using that name instead of "Beauxbatons" would have had the readers utterly perplexed and wondering why the academy would be named after a beautiful piece of bread, haha. "Beautiful sticks" might not be as accurate, but at least it's not confusing;)

From what GridGirl says in her comment about Durmstrang, it sounds like your interpretation of the name was pretty spot on! Good call:)

✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) wrote: "It's funny because the actual translation of "beautiful wand" would be "belle baguette" (baguette both meaning a wand or a piece of bread in French, when a "bâton" is a stick). But I guess using th..."

Thanks so much, Sarah! I appreciate the info. I'd have to agree with you, "Bellebaguette" to English speakers sounds more like a culinary school than a wizarding one! Lol. Though, come to think of it, "Beauxbatons" must sound equally ridiculous to French speakers. I don't know one way or the other, but it would be totally ironic if French translations replaced one of the few words in the book that's actually French :)

the movies were so good

ANAIYA wrote: "the movies were so good"

I agree, I enjoyed them a lot as well :)

wig so im a native german speaker and i'm pretty sure durmstrang is loosely made out of the german words for sturm + drang (storm + urge) which on it's own is a german expression that basically means "turmoil, ferment" and if u ask me that hella fits the school

nvm i just saw someone beat me to it godspeed

hahahahaha courses in breakdancing xD

Haha I love this update and I love how Rowling puts meaning into so many names

Tanja wrote: "wig so im a native german speaker and i'm pretty sure durmstrang is loosely made out of the german words for sturm + drang (storm + urge) which on it's own is a german expression that basically mea..."

I agree, it definitely fits the spirit of the school. I've always said that Rowling is a master of descriptive and evocative names :)

Tanja wrote: "nvm i just saw someone beat me to it godspeed"

An independent second opinion is always appreciated, especially where translation is concerned 😁👍

Anali wrote: "hahahahaha courses in breakdancing xD"

Makes you wonder what sort of dance Hogwarts would do if they traveled to another school for the tournament. I'm thinking a conga line :)

Annie wrote: "Haha I love this update and I love how Rowling puts meaning into so many names"

Thanks, Annie! I'm happy you're enjoying it. I've always felt that very evocative names are nice shortcuts to creating vivid impressions. Especially with a lot of students, it's very effective and efficient in getting their appearance and personalities across :)

OMG I just got Beauxbaton after you explained it! Never thought about that before. 😅🤣

Melanie wrote: "OMG I just got Beauxbaton after you explained it! Never thought about that before. 😅🤣"

Funny how things just hit you like that. I'd always thought that Beauxbaton and Durmstrang were like Hogwarts, and named for something obscure and to sound cool. I never thought for a second they'd have such literal meanings :)

Jayson wrote: "Melanie wrote: "OMG I just got Beauxbaton after you explained it! Never thought about that before. 😅🤣"

Funny how things just hit you like that. I'd always thought that Beauxbaton and Durmstrang we..."

Now I feel like I need to reread the series with new, updated eyes. I'm loving reading your updates!

Melanie wrote: "Now I feel like I need to reread the series with new, updated eyes. I'm loving reading your updates!"

Thanks so much, Melanie! Glad to hear you're enjoying them. If and when you do reread the series, I look forward to seeing what new insights you'll pick up on :)

I looked up Durmstrang after you made this point and this is what the Harry Potter Fandom Wiki has to say about it: "Durmstrang" seems to be a spoonerism for Sturm und Drang, a borrowed German expression meaning "turmoil, ferment" deriving from the name of a highly emotionally driven German artistic movement of the late 1700s, precursor of Romanticism." So you hit it right on the nose.

Breanna wrote: "I looked up Durmstrang after you made this point and this is what the Harry Potter Fandom Wiki has to say about it: "Durmstrang" seems to be a spoonerism for Sturm und Drang, a borrowed German expr..."

Thanks for the info, Breanna! Rowling is sort of like the modern Dickens, in the way that her characters have very descriptive and evocative names. Knowing Durmstrang from the book, it wasn't a great leap of logic to guess its meaning :)

In the book Beauxbatons has both boy and girl students. It doesn't say anything about Durmstrang girls that I remember.

I remember being very excited when I discovered that Sirius is a star in the constellation Canis Major (while browsing my college astronomy book).

@Audrey- yesss! Sirius is called the Dog Star! And of course Sirius’s animagus is a huge dog...coincidence?

Audrey wrote: "In the book Beauxbatons has both boy and girl students. It doesn't say anything about Durmstrang girls that I remember."

I was able to spot one, and only one, male Beauxbatons student (or teacher). He's the dude with the noisemaker to the right of the girls doing the Macarena. He's wearing a blue Beauxbatons uniform under his brown jacket :)



Possibly Durmstrang is male-only. They seem to have a fairly medieval view of things like the dark arts and female education. Possibly it's the reason Krum complains that he has difficulty finding attractive girls, because there might not be any at all at Durmstrang.

Audrey wrote: "I remember being very excited when I discovered that Sirius is a star in the constellation Canis Major (while browsing my college astronomy book)."

The "Harry Potter" books are just full of Easter eggs like that. I'm always picking up new tidbits with every reread :)

Annie wrote: "@Audrey- yesss! Sirius is called the Dog Star! And of course Sirius’s animagus is a huge dog...coincidence?"

Annie wrote: "@Audrey- yesss! Sirius is called the Dog Star! And of course Sirius’s animagus is a huge dog...coincidence?"

I think not!

Funnily enough everyone thinks that "Durmstrang" is German but being a native speaker I always placed them in Scandinavia instead. In German "Durmstrang" has no meaning or at least I dunno about it. *lol*

Virginia Ronan wrote: "Funnily enough everyone thinks that "Durmstrang" is German but being a native speaker I always placed them in Scandinavia instead. In German "Durmstrang" has no meaning or at least I dunno about it..."

People have been telling me it's a play on the phrase "Sturm und Drang," which I'm inclined to believe, though I'm open to other interpretations.

Interesting you mention you think it's in Scandinavia. I've always placed it somewhere in the former Eastern Bloc. Though, Hermione does mention in the book she thinks it's somewhere "north," so you may be right :)

Yes beauxbaton does mean that. 😁

And a fun update.

TMR wrote: "Yes beauxbaton does mean that. 😁"

😁👍

TMR wrote: "And a fun update."

Glad you like it :)