Why did the Bulgarian ship in Harry Potter fly the Albanian Flag?
Posted by MyPlantsDieSometimes@reddit | AskBalkans | View on Reddit | 388 comments
Posted by MyPlantsDieSometimes@reddit | AskBalkans | View on Reddit | 388 comments
SoftwareSource@reddit
Because not even Wizards can conjure up enough force to care about the balkans.
Netherese_Nomad@reddit
I went on a vacation to Albania. Absolutely the worst country I’ve ever been in, and I’ve been to Qatar.
Eoldir@reddit
That realisation hurts a lot, but you're right
MyPlantsDieSometimes@reddit (OP)
😂😂😭😭
Attack_na_battak@reddit
Ok-Guest3247@reddit
It's all Serbia? Always has been.
Admirable_You_9573@reddit
Atleast its 1000 years old, compared to albanian 100 years old.
kopiledon@reddit
Well the two headed eagle is actually a Byzantine symbol - when emperor Constantine founded Constantinople it became the equal capital to the original city and the one headed eagle had to be corrected. Then the the Slavs amongst other nearby people flirted with the symbols and wanted to be mighty too and perhaps bow down to the mighty Roman Empire.
Admirable_You_9573@reddit
This eagle has 2 heads because its of two romes west and eastern. Also Serbia was under Byzantine rule in 7th and 8th ceuntry, and we inherited a lot of their culture and symbols. On the other hand, in 15th ceuntry when this Albanian guy was mentioning Skenderbeg, its Serbian eagle, because he was of serbian ancestory as well. So this eagle on HP flag, has nothing to do with Albanians, but with slavs, eather Poles, Serbs or Russians.
Odd-Count9411@reddit
Wow 🤯
This is a perfect example of a failed education system in serbia.
Admirable_You_9573@reddit
Please teach me master, maybe theres a story behind goats as well 😂
RockMajesty6@reddit
Albanian flag dates back to Skanderbeg.
Designer_Can_562@reddit
Serbian Empire happened before? Serbia had an eagle since 900s. Skanderbeg was there during ottoman conquests. Thats 500 years later.
Admirable_You_9573@reddit
Yeah, the time Serbian Emperor let them setle here. And skenderbeg was alive in 15th ceuntry, and Serbian flag dates to 11th.
RockMajesty6@reddit
Ok little jovane go to bed.
MotherfakerJones@reddit
Čuvena nemanjićko plava
nindza22@reddit
I Nemanjići bili "žuti" :)
blackrain1709@reddit
Zapravo
Swordwielder5@reddit
It is an old Serbian flag of Nemanjic dynasty. Not an Albanian flag.
sp0sterig@reddit
and Serbia took this flag from Bizantine/Roman Empire
isilovac@reddit
You mean East Romans took it from Serbs?
Odd-Count9411@reddit
I got your sarcasm 🤣 i think others didnt
sp0sterig@reddit
Serbs are cool of course, but that cool :)
isilovac@reddit
The word ‘cool’ is of Serbian origin.
KingstownUK@reddit
That would be cool if true 😅
Able-Cauliflower-712@reddit
olivenoel3@reddit
It's actually neither. It's Durmstrang flag.
Eagle0002@reddit
Your Nemaja dynasty was somewhere between Turkey and Persia hanging out with your Qashqai tribe when Albania proudly waved this flag all over Illyrian peninsula.
marsel_dude@reddit
chavalmadridista@reddit
It’s the flag of the Eastern Roman Empire. That’s where Albania, Serbia etc. got their flag from. Typically used in opposition to the ottomans and Muslim religion.
olivenoel3@reddit
We actually use it because it is the symbol of Gjergj Kastrioti
etnoexodus@reddit
Skanderberg opposed Islam directly, even going as far as killing Albanians who converted to Islam since they were seen as traitors.
olivenoel3@reddit
Albanians at the time of Skanderbeg were still christian, wtf are you talking about?
Kalypso_95@reddit
Olive I have never read anything about Skandeberg but a quick search on Google gave me results like these:
🤔🤔
I think it was his Serbian blood from his mother making him a Christian crusader against Islam!
olivenoel3@reddit
Because at that time muslim=ottoman. He was just against ottomans, not because he cared about religion. It was all because of politics. He didn't care about it. He
Are you sure it wasn't his greek blood who in the end made him convert to catholicism?
Kalypso_95@reddit
That's what they teach you in Albanian history? XD
I read that he was born orthodox so maybe he was Greek after all, Georgios Kastriotis! 🇬🇷😎
olivenoel3@reddit
What's wrong with teaching the truth?
Of course he was, everything was grik
No, he was 100% elleniko
Kalypso_95@reddit
Nope he was 50% Greek and 50% Serbian, thus 100% chad!
olivenoel3@reddit
And he still called himself Dominus Albaniae. He must have hated serbs and greeks a lot apparently!
Kalypso_95@reddit
I don't remember Konstantinos Palaiologos calling himself that 🤔
olivenoel3@reddit
Bruh? I was clearly talking about Skanderbeg...
Kalypso_95@reddit
And I was talking about Palaiologos with this comment:
But it could be applied to Skanderberg too of course! 🇬🇷🇷🇸
Serbian mothers give birth to chads it seems!
olivenoel3@reddit
And I was talking about Skanderbeg with this comment:
Simply because he was the topic of discussion and not that kostantinos guys or whatsoever..
But I understand, you didn't have anything more to say and just changed the subject without a reason😂
Kalypso_95@reddit
Ehm olive are you ok? Look at your comment again and see your answer. But i understand, it's the thrill of talking to me, you'd forget your own name if I wouldn't repeat it in every comment!
olivenoel3@reddit
You have lost it!
Your edit "with a serbian mother" was for Skanderbeg, right?
That what I replied to. I didn't even know the next guy.
Kalypso_95@reddit
So it was a pleonasm? You already had said that Skanderberg was Greek in your previous sentence. You just repeated yourself because you felt the need to answer to every single word I wrote? 🤦♀️
Oh sure you don't! But in case you're not lying (lol), he's the last emperor of the Byzantine dynasty that used as their emblem the flag that Skanderberg and Albanians stole
NoDrummer6@reddit
No such thing as a red and black "Byzantine war flag". Literally no evidence of such a flag existing. The only time it is ever brought up is to try and say the Kastrioti flag is based on it, which is complete bullshit.
Here's a video on Byzantine flags: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVQQv6mA63M
olivenoel3@reddit
No because in the second sentence I said he was 100% greek... I specified it better...
I didn't know his full name, he is not that important.
We didn't steal it, we adapted it and made it 100 times cooler.
Kalypso_95@reddit
It looks exactly the same as the Byzantine war flag to me, don't you agree? 🤔
Unless you mean that you made it cooler by.... painting the eagle? XD
Well I beg to differ, this one looks much cooler. So if anything, you made the flag worse
olivenoel3@reddit
Exactly the same?
Our looks more similar to Kastrioti flag than this, because we adapted it from him.
Nah, that one looks like its legs are spread wide open and will go off at any moment
Kalypso_95@reddit
Of course the legs look like that, the Byzantine eagle holds a fucking sword and an orb, which makes it 100% cooler
Yours looks like a poor version of it and the black eagle is kinda ugly. The outlines being black is so much more aesthetically pleasant
olivenoel3@reddit
Yes, it looks like it can barely hold them and is sacrificing its legs for that
Nah, you clearly lack taste... you have a striped flag after all
Kalypso_95@reddit
Nah, you're the one who lacks taste. The Greek flag with its blue and white colours and the stripes seems so fitting in the islands against the blue and white of the sky, the sea and the houses
These pictures are iconic in the whole world Olive! They're just so pleasant to the eye! Can you imagine the Albanian or any other flag in this place? It would ruin the aesthetics! Maybe the Finnish flag would be fitting I suppose
olivenoel3@reddit
The colors are ok, the flag it's too bland... just some lines here and there... not creative at all...
Just because the albanian flag doesn't fit in the santorini landscape, doesn't mean it's less beautiful than the greek one.
Kalypso_95@reddit
I didn't say the Albanian flag isn't beautiful. The Byzantines had taste after all. What I don't like is the black eagle. It feels like a cheap copy of the Byzantine war flag. It'd be so much better if you had kept the original flag as it is, no changes
And excusez-moi, are YOU talking about creativity?? Seriously? XD
Anyway, let's end this discussion about flags here, I got bored
olivenoel3@reddit
As I said, this coming from someone with a stripped flag 😂
It's not just a fill. It's literally another shape. Are you blind?
You end a discussion by not replying not by saying let's end it
Calm_Tale1111@reddit
The Kastrioti family presently lives in Italy and they say they are Albanians. During his time Greece didn’t even exists, this idiot knows nothing as they teach their history after 1821. They even call GJIN BUE SHPATA. Bue spatas, go and figure
Calm_Tale1111@reddit
His descendants currently live in Italy and they say they are Albanians. I am not surprised tho that you love to steal Albanians, after all Arvanites aka Arberesh did free you from Turks and you repaid them very well, killed or put in prison all of your revolution leaders. Did they teach that to you schools in greece? But here to iluminate your ignorance in your history that has more stars than a 7* hotel. Thank god all Greece is not with filled with your kind https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DKSS4-sQAkM&pp=ygUQU2t5IGdyIGFydmFuaXRlcw%3D%3D
Kalypso_95@reddit
Yeeh I do love to steal Albanians, I'm not sarcastic at all with my comment 🤦♀️
Dude, I don't even give a fuck about Skanderberg, as I said I haven't read literally anything about him. I was just teasing Olive
Calm_Tale1111@reddit
Well according to Muzaka who actually lived in times with Gjergj Kastrioti aka Skanderbeg(as you clearly know nothing about him) his mother was from Muzaka family blood line. So i care less about your “serbian mother blood” because you seem to know nothing. Also i had to remind you that not so far ago he was being called Georgios Kastriotis aka a Greek. For more info you can go and meet his descendants who live in Italy at present day and speak Albanian.
Kalypso_95@reddit
Moussaka? So his mother was Greek after all!
etnoexodus@reddit
Many Albanian converted due to tax benefits. They were treated very harshly by Skanderberg.
How can you say this is not about religion when Skanderberg went out of his way to leave Islam and revert to Christianity? Why did he do that if it is not about religion?
Islam was the religion of your coloniser and he fought against both the coloniser and the religion.
olivenoel3@reddit
During the time of Skanderbeg?! Why would we do that if we were independent when he was alive?? You are mixing things up.
Let me see. Skanderbeg was born orthodox, was raised as muslim and later converted to catholic and never took any religios role He did that because he wanted power for himself. Now, you tell me where do you even base your claims? Is this what they teach in Bulgaria about Skanderbeg.
Again, he fought against the invader, not any specific religion! He couldn't care any less about that.
etnoexodus@reddit
They do not teach us about him in Bulgaria, I have read about him out of curiosity because I have many Albanian friends.
I do not see how you take religion away from Skanderberg. One of his policies upon his return was convert to Christianity or face death... You are correct. He is born an Orthodox, but the reason he is brought up a Muslim is because he was taken from his family by the Ottomans under the janissary program and forced into Islam. This alone is quite focused around religion, yes politics too, but why force conversion if religion is not important?
Next, he willingly reverts to Christianity, I would agree his choice of Catholicism was more of a political strategy rather than based on religion, but what are you disagreeing with me on here, I don't understand?
olivenoel3@reddit
You need to reevaluate your sources then.
I already explained. Because at that time church was not separated by state. It served the purposes of alliances to convert to another religion. Being muslim meant being loyal to ottomans or rather the enemy.
It's pretty obvious??? If he really cared about the religion, then why not to orthodoxy?
I am disagreeing with the fact that he fought for religion (christianity). He only fought for his interests.
etnoexodus@reddit
I agree he fought for his interests, but part of that interest was to keep Albania Christian.
Why not Orthodoxy? Because he was pleading with the Catholic world for help but if its not religious importance why did he not just stay in Ottoman Empire as a high rank official which he was?? Why even bother fighting them
olivenoel3@reddit
No. Christianity just happened to be the religion of his ally against ottomans. Did he take any religious role from the church? He referred to himself only as Dominus Albaniae. He had no sorts of religious titles.
Because ottomans wanted to invade his lands. He also fought venice and naples btw. So not all the catholic world was his ally. Basically if his ally was hindu then he would have probably converted to Hinduism. That's why he didn't care about religion.
etnoexodus@reddit
The issue is your claim that he did not care about religion and only fought for Albania falls apart when you take into account that Skanderberg signed the treaty of Geata which proclaims King Alfonso (Italian King) as King of Albania or rather Albania a vassal to him.
How can you say he only cared about an independent Albania and not religion when he was happy to sign Albania away to the Catholics but not join arms with the Ottoman Muslims, which respect him highly already as he is a high rank janissary.
Do you see how that makes no sense
olivenoel3@reddit
Because he simply didn't like ottomans and catholics was his best chance at keeping them out! They took him as a child from his family and raised him. How many times am I going to repeat this? Was he ever a devout religious person? Show me your sources.
etnoexodus@reddit
Why did he simply not like Ottomans? He was high rank and respected, they let him keep his Albanian identity, what's the issue that differs them from the Catholic powers?
olivenoel3@reddit
Because he never forgot his albanian roots... and during that time most of albanians were christians... so obviously it made sense to ally with christian powers
etnoexodus@reddit
Also, you were not independent Albania at the time. By 1430, Albania is under full Ottoman control. Skanderberg's infamous battle at Nis takes place 1440s
olivenoel3@reddit
That doesn't mean that we were converting en masse to islam at that century
Nirados@reddit
Who famously fought against ottomans so his statement is correct.
olivenoel3@reddit
No, it's not correct, because we don't use it to oppose islam or any specific group. We use it because our national hero used it. He also fought against Venice, Naples etc...
Designer_Can_562@reddit
You really are in denial, they are right. Delusionaly believing something aint gonna make it true. If Skanderbeg wws brought back to life he would try to murder every Muslim in the region. Albanian muslims would have been opressed under his regime if they existed before. Be thankfull he isnt alive, the saber doesnt forgive.
olivenoel3@reddit
Who do you think you are to come here and lecture me about my country's national hero? Take a hike. If Skanderbeg was alive, he would have slaughtered all the orthodoxes first after he would learn that you attempted to ethnically cleanse all Albanians from the Balkans.
chavalmadridista@reddit
Well exactly. The eastern roman symbol was on the shields of his army.
olivenoel3@reddit
I didn't negate that though, I only corrected your last sentence.
chavalmadridista@reddit
I don’t understand you. How was his army not in opposition to the ottomans and even muslim religion? That’s what it was about. The Eastern Romans (rumelis - Albanians and other people) that didn’t revolt became Turks.
olivenoel3@reddit
Skanderberg was in opposition to the ottomans, not to any specific religion. And I am saying this isn't the reason why we use his flag! What is so hard to understand here?
chavalmadridista@reddit
It’s ok, you’re in denial.
olivenoel3@reddit
How exactly do we use it to oppose islam, if more than 60% of us are muslim? I didn't know that stating facts is being in denial (for what even?) now..
chavalmadridista@reddit
I don’t know, ask yourself. But this is the origines of the Albanian flag which the question was about.
olivenoel3@reddit
You said it's typically used to oppose ottomans and islam. And I am telling you that we didn't build our identity on that. The origin of the Albanian flag is from Skanderbeg family flag! The fact that he fought ottomans or any other invader has nothing to do with why we use it till today. Now where exactly am I supposed to be in denial here?
chavalmadridista@reddit
Harry Potter didn’t fly the Albanian flag, but the ancient eastern Roman flag which Skenderbeg was bound to. This is the answer for the post. Your or any other modern Albanian interpretation can’t change the history, but can nation-build on whatever you want.
olivenoel3@reddit
Well, not true, as I have said in another post, it's actually the durmstrang flag in the picture, neither albanian nor roman etc... but that's not what at all your first comment was about...
What interpretation are you talking about that is changing history? Seems you are the one who is agenda pushing here... where are you from btw?
vulou@reddit
You are using the flag because of Skanderbeg, and he used it because it was an Eastern Roman symbol. His family was Orthodox just like Byzantines before they turned Catholic.
olivenoel3@reddit
Yes! I have no objection to that.
SolidJade@reddit
Never mind the flag, the way Rowling had named the Bulgarian quidditch players had me rolling.
EpicStan123@reddit
Rowling was so bad at naming characters outside of like Western Europe. Like Viktor Krum should've been Viktor Krumov to be correct grammatically. Also Cho Chang, that's even worse than what we got imo.
kevkabobas@reddit
She was bad at writing aswell. I still cant get over her slavery is actually good takes.
EpicStan123@reddit
I've always maintained that she just got lucky, right place right time to publish.
Her work doesn't really stand out a lot compared to other things written by different YA authors.
namiabamia@reddit
Yes, extremely mediocre books.
Finte_@reddit
So like pop music? Often bad from an analytical point of view but extremely popular?
namiabamia@reddit
Ahahah, there is pop music I'd listen to all week but yeah, a lot of it is uninspired. Personally I'd compare her to bands that make "big songs" made out to be important, innovative, or whatever, which are rather bland though... Oversimplistic content in elaborate packaging.
kevkabobas@reddit
I was too Young at the time but i seems that the culture war in the USA by Christian parents wanting to Bann the book might very well constributed to the fame
EpicStan123@reddit
That too, but the fact that it was based in a school sorta clicked with kids at the time.
And if you're a young reader, you'd think HP is the greatest book franchise ever because you can't spot the dozens of plotholes and inconsistencies across the 7 books.
Informal-Term1138@reddit
Yes that is true.
kevkabobas@reddit
Yeah i actually got introduced to the books after the first movies.
Reinis_LV@reddit
Eh, books do hold you in pretty well. There is a reason one of the biggest franchises was built around it.
Cozimo64@reddit
You understand that it’s a fictional book and not a political manifesto, right?
kevkabobas@reddit
You think fictional books cant represent the authors inherent understanding of the world?
Cozimo64@reddit
You think a fictional book can’t be fictional?
kevkabobas@reddit
Not when you include slavery and make your main character accepting that Situation.
The only criticism in the books is when people mistreat their slaves. Dobbie is Just regarded as weird for wanting His freedom.
Cozimo64@reddit
What? Fiction is no longer fictional when you include slavery?
Game of Thrones is full of slavery, is it now a political piece which suggests GRRM is totally down with slavery, burning people alive and incest?
kevkabobas@reddit
Buddy cant you read? Or are you Always Bad faith when you argue ?
Educational_Place_@reddit
That's not what she said though. How can one even misunderstand her take so much?
stikaznorsk@reddit
When Hermione is talking about the elves, she is portrayed as annoying. All the others tell her is that they like it this way. They will be unhappy, free. Classical slavery apologia. And how is Dobby the only one that wants to be free in all books ? Why Dumbledore, the ultimate good character, does not help her.
kevkabobas@reddit
Harry and ron literally belitted hermione for caring about the House elves of hogwarts. Wdym she didnt say that
Educational_Place_@reddit
How can you seriously think they were supposed to be seen as the correct ones? Harry and Ron were like this to show the reader how even usually nice people don't think about the rights of house elves because society has taught them that or they don't think about it enough and that righteous people like Hermione get critized despite that they are correct
kevkabobas@reddit
Yet she didnt free them in a cursed child.
Educational_Place_@reddit
Never read or watched the cursed child but it was said everywhere Rowling didn't wrote the script nor the book amd was at most somehow involved in the stage play. But this can range from everything like her saying Harry as a father is like this and Ron is like that or to be involved in every little detail. Considering she wasn't even involved in the script and the book, one can guess she was barely involved and it was basically a way from everyone involved to make money. Also, realistically it needs several decades until slavery ends and even more until the victims are not as much discriminated by society
kevkabobas@reddit
I find it Just very fitting to her brain rotten terf comments and right wing talking points
EatYourProtein4real@reddit
So we went from facts to feelings lol
Educational_Place_@reddit
It is always like this with them
kevkabobas@reddit
Interesting so you are Just another bigot. Got ya
kevkabobas@reddit
Not really. But what do you actually Care? You want sources or what Claim have you an issue with?
kevkabobas@reddit
https://youtu.be/-1iaJWSwUZs?si=iKY6SiYKDkcfdHhn
At around minute 37 he Talks about the slavery in the books. But the full review is quiet interesting.
Educational_Place_@reddit
Sorry, I am not watching it since Shaun is known for getting things wrong or misinterpreting things and I read enough reddit comments about his opinion on this topic and they were just plainly stupid. Literally everyone who thinks she wrote some bs like "slavery is okay" is almost quoting this video
kevkabobas@reddit
Like what
Plutarch_von_Komet@reddit
Viktor Cum
thebigjamesbondfan@reddit
If Rowling had written any Greek characters they'd probably be something like Peepos Peepeepoopoolos or Souvlakis Mousakakis
AnnualAdeptness5630@reddit
Oh boy, peepeepoopoolos is the best name ever! I'm going to give every character in every game I'll play with the proud name of Peepeepoopoolos the Great.
elDayno@reddit
It was kinda funny to discover that the most common greek surname is Papadopoulos
TheWaffleHimself@reddit
Hell no, she'd just call them "Zeus Alexander" and "Apollo Tsatsiki"
lingering_flames@reddit
"Salakis Feta Tsatsiki"
Long-Ad226@reddit
Pita Tiropitakia
thebigjamesbondfan@reddit
I'd eat Apollo Tzatziki, ngl
radams713@reddit
I just sent this comment to my Greek husband. His last name is super long and ends in Poulos too. This comment made me tear up with laughter. Thank you so much haha
Lizardinex@reddit
I'm howling aat poor Souvalakis Mousakakis 🤣🤣🤣
FeetSniffer9008@reddit
Kostas Kostakis
friendlyghost_casper@reddit
You made me laugh so hard
thebigjamesbondfan@reddit
Glad to be of service, friend
31_hierophanto@reddit
Oh, HUNDRED PERCENT.
Positive_Choice5502@reddit
Calamari tzatziki
Independent-One929@reddit
Gyros Taramosalada
Upbeat-Conquest-654@reddit
I see, guess we read the same fan fiction
ero_pop_sex_shop@reddit
haahahahaha
Psychological_Life79@reddit
Cumalot
pzelenovic@reddit
Cuminski
Slavic_Knight@reddit
There actually is a polish surname that sounds exactly like that, it's just written "Kamiński"
dygcnr@reddit
Cunk on Britain...
Besrax@reddit
I would as well, if Hermione was my date.
neefhuts@reddit
I mean Cho Chang is legit a name though. It sounds like a racist charicature, but both Cho as a first name and Chang as a last name are not that uncommon
Saintsfan707@reddit
Kingsley Shacklebolt is pretty bad though, lol
xRaGoNx@reddit
And Seamus Finnigan that liked to blow things up was Irish...
Vegetable_Barber4370@reddit
Sounds like something my boyfriend would call me…
neefhuts@reddit
Damn that is insane
Mucupka@reddit
it's still better than if he was named something like Keith
Remarquisa@reddit
I've met black Britons called 'Keith', it was really popular in the '70s when a lot of second gen Caribbean immigrants were born and their parents wanted British sounding names.
Never met a guy called 'Kingsley'.
Thesquire89@reddit
_sephylon_@reddit
Every Harry Potter character had goofy old names nobody had, even Harry was back then one of the first thing you read in the first volume is Uncle Vernon thinking he’s nephew can't be named Harry because it's too old of a name
Perfect-Routine-3452@reddit
That name goes hard I'm tired of pretending it doesn't
canyoufeeltheDtonite@reddit
I think it's the direct reference to slavery that might be what people don't like.
_sephylon_@reddit
He’s called shackebolt because he’s a cop
One of the main cultural differences between brits and americans is that they don't immediately associate black people with slavery
Romanista3@reddit
According to Yuko Matsuoka (official translator), Rowling considered Cho to be of Korean descent. Is it common for a Korean girl to have a "short" name like Cho instead of a "composed" name like Hae-In or Soo-Hyun?
IchBinEinDickerchen@reddit
Had a North Korean classmate. His first name is Cho, so it does exist as a Korean name but I’m not sure if it would be acceptable as a feminine name.
koreanhawk@reddit
you sure it was his first name? cho/jo only really works as a last name in korea.
IchBinEinDickerchen@reddit
Hmm, I was in elementary school during that time so I might have just mistook his last name for his given name. But yeah, everyone just called him Cho. My other North Korean classmates were Hi? (pronounced Hai) and Ye-Won.
katyesha@reddit
My head canon is that Rowling doesnt know that some cultures write their last name first and she probably thinks 25% of Korean people are called Kim as their first name. 😂
So a name like Cho as a first name probably makes sense to her because it simply is unfathomable that other cultures in the world could do it any different!
Ordinary-Focus-8789@reddit
Korean names are almost always two-syllabled and rarely have a one or three syllable name.
LeoGeo_2@reddit
Weird, she'd make more sense if she was from Hong Kong since the British used to own that city.
neefhuts@reddit
She would have to be Chinese for the name to be realistic, but I don't think that's mentioned anywhere in the books. Cho is a normal Korean name too, but Chang is really only a Chinese name
Plastikstapler2@reddit
Nope. Chang is a Korean surname as well.
GiganticCrow@reddit
It can be both
johnnytruant77@reddit
Cho is not a syllable in Mandarin. In mainland china she's called Qiu Zhang. I'm pretty sure cho doesn't exist as a syllable in Canto either
READ-THIS-LOUD@reddit
Yeah I live in Scotland and had a school mate called Cho Chang, we thought it was sick that a Scottish Asian was in HP with the same name as our friend. Of course her Halloween costume was set for every year.
Reinis_LV@reddit
Did she end up dating a guy with glasses?
Dustdevilss@reddit
Huhhh??? I have never heard of anyone named like that as a Chinese
SuperSquashMann@reddit
Western transliteration can be a bit of a mess, so it could maybe be "Zhou Zhang" if you're feeling generous
RAStylesheet@reddit
wtf is wrong with cho chang name??
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Yaz1kun@reddit
perhaps she googled 'historical bulgarians' and found khan krum?
Tommyol187@reddit
Don't forget Kingsley Shacklebolt
Reinis_LV@reddit
1 step away from actually racist trope. Let's not forget the long nosed "bankers" who are scum. At least she is anti-slavery.
Regardelestrains@reddit
She’s not really anti-slavery : she shows Dobby in a positive light for sure, but the system of house-elf enslavement is never really questioned. Even Hermione’s anti-slavery stance is ridiculed as some sort of SJW attitude.
Reinis_LV@reddit
Yeah, it's ridiculed, but according to Rowling, Hermione is supposed to be "her" character.
Reinis_LV@reddit
Yeah, it's ridiculed, but according to Rowling, Hermione is supposed to be "her" character.
Stroqus28@reddit
Cho Chang is completly normal and unremarkable name, bringing it up is just a meme and believing its somehow racist or ignorant on Rowlings part is just dumb
alex_korolev@reddit
Cho Chang already sounds racits, idk 🤣
Stefan19RKC@reddit
I mean how would you name her? Whatever Chinese/Japanese/Korean/Vietnamese/... name you use it's going to associate you with that language, obviously. It hardly works to consistently use non-Asian-sounding Asian names, that's just butchering it...
Crappy_Crepes@reddit
Ching Chong
alex_korolev@reddit
Yeah I got you. But this like it’s not about the name, but rather who speaks it. :)
Stefan19RKC@reddit
The whole Hogwarts speaks her name, what do you mean?
I know you meant about JKR but then, again, would you rather have Asian characters with random made up names? Wouldn't that be way way worse than having "proper" names? It would be like censoring Asian names.
alex_korolev@reddit
I got you. But with Bulgarian names it also made up. what the difference then?
Stefan19RKC@reddit
I'm Serbian (neighbouring Bulgaria, kinda similar languages) and those seem a bit "off", like forced to sound Bulgarian, although only a bit. Otherwise, there's no difference IMO, I don't mind either.
Thanks for staying polite btw, sorry if I sounded anything but friendly 😊
alex_korolev@reddit
No no buddy we are all good! I’m Ukrainian btw! I meant I guess that these names are rather dull or random and honestly sounds like a rip offs from some sit on b-rated action movie. :)
31_hierophanto@reddit
Still controversial to this day!
Akira_116@reddit
There was a kid at my school called Chung Chang. A lot of people have issues coming up with names lol
Fluffy-Material7194@reddit
Krumov it; it wasn’t that bad
tolkienist_gentleman@reddit
Wasn't Krum some chieftain of the Bolghars when they migrated in Moesia ? He fought a lot against the Romans, so Rowling might have taken the name from him.
haadyy@reddit
Krum is a king of 9th century Bulgaria, right here on the Balkans. He fought against the Byzantine empire so in a way you are right.
While she did take the name from our history, it is not how names in Bulgarian work or have worked ever. That is what the commentator means.
nindza22@reddit
Viktor Krumiev, if you want him to be Bulgarian. :)
wannabe2700@reddit
Krum sounds better
-BabysitterDad-@reddit
Cho Chang is when you combine a Korean last name with a Chinese last name.
Anticitizen_One_27@reddit
Why is Krum a bad name for a Bulgarian? There actually was a Bulgarian ruler in the 9th century called “Krum the Fearsome” and the name actually persist until today, although it’s not very common…
EpicStan123@reddit
It's a good name but it's not grammatically correct Family name. It lacks the suffix at the end "ov".
So grammatically correct it would be Viktor Krumov.
rouleroule@reddit
Was the name corrected in the Bulgarian translation?
EpicStan123@reddit
Nop which is why it was always weird to me. Viktor Krum is 2 first names slapped together.
rouleroule@reddit
Thanks for the answer. It's strange that the translator did not choose to make it sound more natural. But I guess they considered it was not their role to modify the text.
Cappabitch@reddit
Cho Chang slays me to this day.
Emotional-Ice-111@reddit
Igor Karkarev would be sick
marsel_dude@reddit
Remind me please?
FrenchAmericanNugget@reddit
sioence no flair tzigane
SolidJade@reddit
Zograf - inspired from Zachary Zograf - this is not his surname, it's his profession/vocation Levski - inspired from Vassil Levski, our national hero. His real name was Vassil Kunchev, Levski was his nickname (meaning "lionlike") Volkov, Valchanov - Russian names Krum - inspired from Khan Krum - best case scenario she thought you could slap first names as family names like in English speaking countries. Worst case scenario, she thought Khan is his first name...
I don't remember the names of the third quaffle player and the keeper.
QuoD-Art@reddit
this makes so much sense all of a sudden... it also matches with her just taking Zograf as a last name. I'm gonna be mentioning this to everyone I know lol
Forward-Reflection83@reddit
To be fair, it is stated in the books that the school is not just bulgarian, but rather for the whole of eastern europe.
-Against-All-Gods-@reddit
I mean, they were supposed to be a generic Eastern European school because there's no significant differenc between Finland and Greece.
MegasKeratas@reddit
We also have this word for «painter» : ζωγράφος (=zografos).
Ζω (from ζωή = life) + γράφος (from γράφω = to write)
chaotebg@reddit
It's not that you have the same word, it's that we used the Greek word. In Bulgarian, however, it's specifically and mostly used for icon painters (iconographers).
MegasKeratas@reddit
Come on man I wrote it quickly, sorry for not being 100% precise 😒
Fatalaros@reddit
This is Reddit you have to be both quick and accurate, no excuses. Like this: Precisely 97,4% of Bulgarian words are of Greek origin.
RustCohle_23@reddit
Yet I go to the Greece every summer and I can only say thanks, cheers and order a gin, frappe or cards and tavli. 😬
Ikcenhonorem@reddit
Well, yeah, but all Greeks are Macedonians.
Prestigious-Pear-695@reddit
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 97.4% of Greece were Thracian tribes, u just had to differ yourself with the ancient Greek shite. Can you please elaborate on what is the difference between an ancient Greek and a new one? Also, can you tell me which one of the these is your final historical form? Ancient Greek Roman Eastern Roman (Byzantium) Latin Please, cuz you are simultaneously all of these, yet none of them are correct. N's coming from Ethiopia mixed with the local tribes = Greek. The Jews of Europe. No one likes you
Fatalaros@reddit
Cool story. I recommend Aripiprazole.
RustCohle_23@reddit
Just be happy, it is one Balkan confessing to another that we took something from you, that's rarely seen. Especially with our western neighbors 😁
missallmoonshine@reddit
In Romanian we have zugrav - wich means house painter.
neljudskiresursi@reddit
redditerator7@reddit
Some wizards have quirky names. Like Dumbeldore means bumblebee. So Levski as a name makes perfect sense.
dwartbg9@reddit
Levski is the name of our national hero - Vasil Levski. And yes, Levski was his nickname, and yes - it comes from Lion. In English it would sound like - Vasil Lionlike, or something like that.
ImplementedConfusion@reddit
I'm
marsel_dude@reddit
Yeah ok the surnames i remember them being weird, but the names? Ah
SolidJade@reddit
No one was named by their first names except for Viktor Krum.
marsel_dude@reddit
Yees Viktor. Is it common there really? I feel like nah.
SolidJade@reddit
It actually is! I had a friend and two classmates named Viktor. So at least she got that part right.
marsel_dude@reddit
Yes in MK too we have Viktors, but less and less i feel, its not that popular anymore. Its all the damn modern names now. Maximilian and Leon, ffs. :D
I mean i get it you want your kid to be special, but every parent wants that for their kid lowkey :D Imagine the contest, and i feel like they are making it a contest at this point, who thinks of the weirdest "most unique" kids name.
Comfortable-Fun1726@reddit
That's a thing everywhere and it gets so weird when people think that their little snowflake has to be oh so unique.
rintzscar@reddit
Viktor is very common in Bulgaria.
SolidJade@reddit
Later on the director of Durmstrang was mentioned by full name - Igor Karkarov - also Russian names.
rintzscar@reddit
Karkarov is supposed to be of Russian descent, not Bulgarian.
marsel_dude@reddit
Also i had a very good dirty joke for this one, but gay in our context if you are a dude i mean.
rintzscar@reddit
Valchanov is not a Russian name. We have it in Bulgaria.
Also, you've missed the extended universe in which the Bulgarian witch Nerida Vulchanova founded the Durmstrang Institute.
https://harrypotter.fandom.com/wiki/Nerida_Vulchanova
furious_organism@reddit
If i remember right his name was Viktor Krum and not just Krum
kudelin@reddit
Вълчанов ain't Russian
Cristian_WaterKing@reddit
She maybe was inspired after great performances by România and Bulgaria from WC 1994.Like any other english person J.K Rowling has a passion for football.This is the reason why România and Bulgaria are în her books,România was the place where Ron Wesley cousin went for dragons and Bulgaria had one of the best quiditch team.
Viktor Krump is very possible to be inspired after Stoikov who won Ballon D'or in 1994 if i am not wrong.
laveol@reddit
Tbh Romania is considered somewhat a magical land in the UK. I mean, vampires, castles, and all.
Cristian_WaterKing@reddit
Yes,we have to thank german saxon traders from Transilvania(who invented horror stories about Vlad The Impaler) and Bram Stoker for this.
cavist_n@reddit
When I visited Transylvania, I expected castles in ruins and villages in the forest. I got some of that but also mostly brutalist communist architecture, beat up cars and weird indian looking folks trying to sneak in busses and trains.
A-400@reddit
You also got to thank gypsies communities and their folklore there.
DisastrousNews1130@reddit
Sorry, we're not thanking that particular ethnic group for much these days :))) we re good
A-400@reddit
Ok racist buddy.
DisastrousNews1130@reddit
I m actually part of that group but I went to school and got a job instead of scamming americans with fake gold for gas money on the streets, pickpocket tourists in Italy or make money of the shell game near the Eiffel Tour. And yeah, I had to deal with "racis"t jokes in grade school and highschool and in spite of that I still belive that stereotypes are there for a reason and judging by them is valid most of the times.
Ofc you can choose to look the other way if you belive that makes you the bigger person, but that doesn't make the problem go away....what makes it go away is education.
I invite you to turn on your vpn and scroll through the romanian tiktok feed for a day, then we can debate further.
A-400@reddit
On my maternal side, grand parents are from Andalusia in Spain, they are gitanos. Migrated in France after Spanish civil war because they were anarchist, they always told me about their culture and that i had to respect it. Always been accepted and respected by Roma and Gitanos communities in France always been proud of being from this community somehow.
Mom even brought me to Sainte Marie de la Mère where there is a pilgrimage about the black maria, as a kid i enjoyed it and it made me proud.
I don’t say that there is no problem with gypsies/romas/gitanos communities. As you said there is a problem of education and communautarism, but still be proud of your origins and don’t white wash your own self lmao.
Anyway, we can debate but i don’t know about the situation in Romania only in France and here it’s going better and better. Especially since they are obligated to go to school for example. Camps are less and less terrible (hygiene wise) the real problem is the fights and opposition between clans.
Old-Hovercraft9974@reddit
Motherfucker, what do you mean stories?!
FeetSniffer9008@reddit
It's where EU money magically disappears
Outrageous_Deer_8622@reddit
It is so magical that your wallet disappears into thin air when you cross the romanian border /s
Adventurous-Side-211@reddit
Yea except Dracula was literally written by an Irish Person (Bram Stoker) who had never been to Romania and it is largely based on Irish mythology in reality (specifically the myth of the Abhertach)
Stoker was a sickly child who was often bedridden and his mother would tell him Irish stories leading to a great love of them which heavily influenced his work.
There are certain things taken from Romania in his vampire story, but largely Romania just serves as a “far away land.” Even the gothic architecture in the story much more evokes Ireland and Irish castles and cathedrals than Romanian ones.
And at its core Dracula is actually a critique of British landlordism in Ireland and how the British aristocracy were “bloodsucking monsters” preying on the catholic Irish. (Hence catholic imagery being used extensively, despite Romania being orthodox and Stoker himself being Protestant)
Money_Song467@reddit
Is it?
Exotic_Talk_2068@reddit
Balkans is also birthplace of werewolf stories
WhodIzhod69@reddit
Yes, he is my neighbour.
Theposis@reddit
Was the flag described in the book with very precise detail? If not, then this is not Rowling's design but the production design department for the film. So who knows who actually came up with this. Same for their outfits/uniforms. Probably the PD department and nothing to do with Rowling...just a nitpick.
Muffinlessandangry@reddit
Rowling is Scottish, not English.
West-Cricket-9263@reddit
Krum. Krum is a name, Krump is what 40k Orks do.
Jackofalltrades1593@reddit
You can like the saga or not, but Joanne’s naming are chaotic at best and downright racist at worst, from people to the basic Latin words encantations.
TakeMeToJacob@reddit
Didnt Dumbledore greet them with "our friends from the north?" 😆
SolidJade@reddit
For your average British twat Balkans = Russia
PaaaaabloOU@reddit
Yeah because Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Wesley are not dumb names. At the end is a child's book.
SolidJade@reddit
I don't see what's wrong with Harry Potter? Hermione is not standard but it's a legit name from the Greek mythology. Granger - normal surname. Ronald - also normal name. The only one stupid is Weasley here.
You legit could have picked up Gildroy Lockheart or Albus Dumbledore to diss lmao.
Also, it's for teenagers and young adults, it's not a children's book.
Fruloops@reddit
Back the fuck away from dissing my boy Gilderoy, he has a fabulous name
NkTvWasHere@reddit
I guess she had you rowling
Luminel_@reddit
Rowling did a mess... The Durmstrang school Is supposed to be nordic, but apparently for Rowling, Bulgaria is a Nordic country.
MyPlantsDieSometimes@reddit (OP)
I got the same comment over and over again pointing out the colours are not the same or naming countries that the flag on the ship actually belongs to. I don't think they get that it's just confusing. I mean the BG team playing quidditch has a red and black uniform and face paint, and then the flag on their school's ship has a two headed eagle that looks very similar to a flag that is also red and black (Albania).
And the movie doesn't make it clear that the quidditch team, school and country its from are all distinct. Maybe the books do but I'm talking about the movie.
I live in the UK and I don't think it's unlikely that the special effects guys or the creative director or whatever was like - "that'll do. They're all the same anyway" 🤷🏻
Hackiii@reddit
JK naming a German character: Hans Wurst
Unable-Stay-6478@reddit
Bulgarian ship ❌️
Bulgarian shqip ✅️
Accomplished_Fun6481@reddit
Hero lol
Advanced_Cat5706@reddit
Made coffee come out of my nose 😂
lenamica@reddit
You mean Shqip Ship?
V1k1ngVGC@reddit
Hahahaha
Ok-Coach2664@reddit
. W
Iam_no_Nilfgaardian@reddit
Underrated comment
Professional_Swan448@reddit
Byzantic orthodox flag
Shellman00@reddit
It's white and red though and not red and black? It's like saying why i Sweden flying the same flag as Iceland, Finland, Denmark etc
fixme123@reddit
This isn't a Bulgarian ship tho. It's the ship of the the school that was founded by a Bulgarian witch I think, and it caters to Eastern European wizards. It's located somewhere north so I'd say it's the Russian Empire flag inspired.
sp0sterig@reddit
and Russian Empire took this flag from Bizantine/Roman Empire
fixme123@reddit
Sure, but with how unappreciated Balkan history is, I would assume a British person likely knows more about the Russian Empire, than the infinitely more interesting Eastern Roman Empire.
Sarkotic159@reddit
I find the Russians infinitely more interesting, fix me, old boy.
fixme123@reddit
I mean at the end of the day it's subjective. If you find it more interesting, more power to you. But pre-soviet Russian culture/society was largely inspired by the French/Byzantine/South Slavic. Soviet Russia is a lot more interesting than Imperial Russia.
arealpersonnotabot@reddit
Imperial period is the only time when Russia was interesting as a culture.
CinJV@reddit
Becauae it was the most alike the rest of northwestern europe's culture?
fromrussiawithlow@reddit
Russian here. We have never dressed like this.
fixme123@reddit
You are telling me these type of clothing has no connection to Russia/Soviet Union? I'll more pictures on the replays below this comment.
fromrussiawithlow@reddit
Sorry, it was kinda a joke. Like we aren't wearing anything like this nowadays or something... My English probably isn't good enough for kidding.)
Of course I catch your point and clothes definitely have Russian vibes.
fixme123@reddit
Even the crop is the same.
fixme123@reddit
Soviet Era
Classic-Exit4189@reddit
Its a troll post buddy
theyanardageffect@reddit
Because they are both Turkic.
Positive-Win7239@reddit
Loooooool! The ”Albanian” flag isn’t Albanian. It’s the Byzantine eagle.
Attaliates@reddit
I’m sorry, the flag on the ship and the Albanian one look the same to you?
fireswalkwithme@reddit
They are the same flag, that on is older in the movie. Look albanian flag how feathers are made and where they are and you see it's the same flag
microtherion@reddit
The double eagle is basically the same, but the colors are entirely different. Double eagles are not uncommon in the region, but Bulgaria used, if anything, Lions in their flags.
nindza22@reddit
It's not. The eagle is more similar to Austria coat of arms or Byzantine coat of arms.
twillie96@reddit
That's not even remotely close.
For how many empires and kingdoms, dukedoms and whatnots that have had eagles (or double-headed eagles) on their flag, it really has to be spot on in order to actually match any specific one of them and not just be a resemblance of a country in eastern Europe.
AlgaeDonut@reddit
The three stripes were copyrighted
milanraphael@reddit
Didn’t Dumbledore also not refer to them as “our friends from the north”, or am I tripping?
arealpersonnotabot@reddit
I'm glad Rowling never wrote a Turkish character because they'd be a female and a male twin named Adana Kebab and Iskander Kebab respectively.
Ken_Erdredy@reddit
At least there were no trans people on board. /s
Tree-Puzzleheaded@reddit
The double headed eagle is part of austo-hungarian flags also. I don't think anyone referred to Albania by that .
andara84@reddit
It was also the symbol of Prussia until at least 1918.
T-Prime3797@reddit
White bird on white background isn't the Albanian flag. Colours matter with national flags especially.
You could say they took aspects of the Albanian flag, and I don't know why they would do that beyond "we think it looks cool".
Syfohelra@reddit
Didn’t Rowling say, the Durmstrang School is in Skandinavia? That never made sense to me
Shandrahyl@reddit
Iirc it was just refered as "in the east"
Gloomy-Soup9715@reddit
One says it's Albanian, one it's Bizantine, other it's German someone said it's may even represent tsarist Russia. So it's the perfect representation of school with students from all Balkans plus central and eastern parts of Europe.
FeetSniffer9008@reddit
Are you perhaps color blind?
_sotiwapid_@reddit
Don't get me wrong, Rowling never showed big sensibility for other cultures, but the two-headed eagle is a fairly common motiv in heraldry throughout Europe. My home city of cologne uses it in its heraldry.
NoAdministration5555@reddit
In remembrance of Jon Belushi
Kitsooos@reddit
I am gonna play devil's advocate here and say that the double headed eagle is not an exclusively Albanian symbol. It is VERY commonly used in eastern europe, especially the Balkans. Eastern Roman Empire and all.
nj-mkd@reddit
Nice propaganda but the two headed eagle is not only the simbol of Albania. It's the symbol of many nations, most of them Slavic. Coat of arms of many more. If we country historic use, maybe more than 30 nations used it in some form.
Tenebralb@reddit
BUZANTIUM REAL DESCENDANTS ONLY ✝️🇦🇱☦️ HOLY ROMAN ILLYRIAN DARDANIAN EMPIRE
Dismal_Plantain_533@reddit
Shiperi means albanian
Beautiful_Ad6686@reddit
The interesting thing is that the flag on the ship has the same numbers of feathers like the albaniansn one. 25 feathers like the albanian eagle
MyPlantsDieSometimes@reddit (OP)
No matter the logic behind it I think it's fair to say the 3D texture artist may have used one of the mentioned flags as reference
Beautiful_Ad6686@reddit
Yeah maybe but for the albaninan one the 25 feathers stands for 25 Battles against ottoman. I just counted the fathers and notice that
_MekkeliMusrik@reddit
wow
lePetitBlackHoleF-er@reddit
The two headed eagle is a sign of the Eastern Roman or Byzantine empire. You have it on a lot of crests and several flags from countries that are part of the territory that was once a part of said empire. Like Bulgaria
angelman31@reddit
Author is credited more than deserved for the cultural knowledge. Let’s all agree most americans and europeans are not aware of surrounding cultures.
Old_Explanation_7897@reddit
Its a fantasy story get over it.
DandyJalapeno@reddit
This is ragebait right?
browntone14@reddit
Looks closer to the Holy Roman Empire
haskell_jedi@reddit
It's not a Bulgarian ship. Victor Krum was from Bulgaria, but the school was somewhere else secret, based on the description possibly Russia or the Nordic countries.
chepurin@reddit
Because they are the same shit.
theflyinfudgeman@reddit
For tax reasons i guess,..
Ticba@reddit
https://sr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%93%D1%80%D0%B1_%D0%9D%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%B0%D1%9A%D0%B8%D1%9B%D0%B0#/media/%D0%94%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BA%D0%B0%3ANemanji%C4%87_dynasty_coat_of_arms%2C_Palavestra.png
Interesting_Claim540@reddit
Why does the Albanian flag fly the Greek Orthodox flag?
Keke_Papaya@reddit
Not Albanian flag.
Pyro-Bird@reddit
The two-headed eagle is a symbol of Orthodox Christianity. It's part of the flag and coats of arms of Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Russia ( coat of arms only).
Popches@reddit
The Albanian double headed eagle is from the Byzantine Empire. Same as Serbia or Russia.
negrote1000@reddit
Durmstrang is in Norway. Only Viktor Krum was Bulgarian.
Beneficial-Rush-1021@reddit
Because it's the greek double headed eagle
Longjumping_Call_294@reddit
Several family coat of arms have a double headed eagle
Street-Selection2516@reddit
Haris Poteriqi?
Radashin_@reddit
Na gitarata Vasko Žabata playing softly in the background
alibud87@reddit
It wasn't Bulgarian
0xPianist@reddit
Harry is secretly Albanian 👉👉
blackrain1709@reddit
That's the flag of the Nemanjić dynasty from Tsar Dušan era, before the golden background was added for the Serbian Empire period https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/30/%D0%9A%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%99%D0%B5%D0%B2%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0_%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%BA%D0%B0_%D0%B7%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B0_%D0%9D%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%B0%D1%9A%D0%B8%D1%9B%D0%B0_%28%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B7%D0%B8%D1%98%D0%B0_%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%B1%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%BE%D1%98_%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B7%D0%B8%29.jpeg/135px-%D0%9A%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%99%D0%B5%D0%B2%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0_%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%BA%D0%B0_%D0%B7%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B0_%D0%9D%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%B0%D1%9A%D0%B8%D1%9B%D0%B0_%28%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B7%D0%B8%D1%98%D0%B0_%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%B1%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%BE%D1%98_%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B7%D0%B8%29.jpeg
ChaosChilly@reddit
Funny I don't see an answer to the question, well the ship is not Bulgarian, I don't think its mentioned which country the school is in but based on the name its probably in a Germanic area somewhere north-east
ColossusOfChoads@reddit
Probably because they thought it looked cooler. More 19th century imperialistic, let's say.
New-Ad2339@reddit
I am pretty much sure that is not the Albanian flag.
IhateTacoTuesdays@reddit
The people who didnt understand this is a joke 😂 its neither an albanian flag or a serbian flag, its a mase up flag of Tsarist Russia
3_Fast_5_You@reddit
why do you think? looks way fucking cooler (sorry)
morriganscorvids@reddit
because rowling is a dumb bigot terfy bitch
Sekwan2000@reddit
It's red not black : P
Anticitizen_One_27@reddit
Why would it be Albanian if it has double headed eagle? It is a symbol of many European countries…
ScoreFantastic2596@reddit
Because all the Balkan Countries have similar double-headed eagles on their flags.
throwawayinfinitygem@reddit
Sea_Excitement7121@reddit
Isn't that the Byzantine eagle??? A lot of flags used that historically, not just Albania.
Puzzleheaded_Age4413@reddit
Idk, but when Hagrid said he has a dragon from Romania, I felt fucking proud. No idea why 🤷♂️
MyPlantsDieSometimes@reddit (OP)
I felt more proud of that than the weird Bulgarian/ russian /German school and I'm not even romanian
CypriotGreek@reddit
This flag is an old Serbian flag which was taken from an old byzantine flag
rintzscar@reddit
No, it's supposed to be a reference to Tsarist Russia, not Serbia. It also exists only in the films - Rowling's website, which she curates and writes in, has a completely different coat of arms for Durmstrang.
https://harrypotter.fandom.com/wiki/Durmstrang_Institute
enzocrisetig@reddit
Tsarist Russia took it from Byzantium anyway
rintzscar@reddit
Yeah, of course, but Warner Bros's idea was to portray it as a militaristic, all-male, Russian hellhole of a school, instead of the far more normal portrayal in the books. They definitely didn't reference Byzantium, Serbia or Albania.
hjuJAH@reddit
Nope, that’s the flag of Nemanjić dynasty. 1/1
MyPlantsDieSometimes@reddit (OP)
That is a much cooler coat of arms dayum
Alex_1729@reddit
ARe you sure? The wings seem a bit high.
CypriotGreek@reddit
It’s an old Serbian empire flag, to be honest back then you couldn’t really nail the specifics but this flag looks about the same as the eagle on the Serbian empire flag
Alex_1729@reddit
Well the eagle is always the same everyhwere. I'm looking on that ship above and the wings are simply too high. But closer to Serbian than Albanian, that's for sure.
Albanian_Trademark@reddit
So is the Albanian flag tbf
CypriotGreek@reddit
Yeah, but the Albanians changed it up a little they made it cool
Latter_Leading_1288@reddit
What Albanian flag are you talking about, man? The double-headed eagle is a Roman flag and specifically a flag of the Byzantine Empire (Constantinople).
dennisoa@reddit
There are a lot of historical flags that have a two-headed eagle.
Attack_na_battak@reddit
Oh, great, English again start fight on Balkan...just put some random flag, said it is what it is not and voila!
Hungry_Wolverine1311@reddit
The double-headed eagle is an iconographic symbol originating in the Bronze Age. The earliest predecessors of the symbol can be found in Mycenaean Greece and in the Ancient Near East, especially in Mesopotamian and Hittite iconography. Most modern uses of the emblem are directly or indirectly associated with its use by the Palaiologos dynasty of the Byzantine Empire, a use possibly derived from the Roman Imperial Aquila. High medieval iterations of the motif can be found in Islamic Spain, France, the Bulgarian Empire and the Serbian principality of Raška. From the 13th century onward it appeared within the Islamic world in the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum and the Mamluk Sultanate,[1] and within the Christian world in Albania, the Holy Roman Empire, Russia, and Serbia.
kbrizov@reddit
The two-headed eagle is an ancient symbol mostly associated with the Byzantine Empire. Other countries like Albania, Serbia, Russia, the Holy Roman Empire all got inspired by it and claim some succession.
Krasniqi857@reddit
albanians on a detour again
Haunting_Hippo_8497@reddit
The two headed eagle has been used by Bulgaria in medieval times also,just like literally everyone in Eastern Europe at some point. Its not an Albanian symbol specifically,just about every "royal" house in the region used it at some point.
TheAimIs@reddit
Maybe the ship flew the flag of Byzantine empire or the flag of Orthodox Church.
Nirados@reddit
Literally completely different looking flags?
Classic-Exit4189@reddit
Its a troll post. Just baiting
Traditional-Lion7391@reddit
Coz it looks scary
Cioalin@reddit
Double head bird is everywhere in easten europe, from Byzantine empire to modern russia flag. It is not albanian invention.
Rakdar@reddit
That is the flag of Durmstrang. Durmstrang is not in Bulgaria. It is likely somewhere in Scandinavia.
As to why the movie assigned a double-headed eagle to Durmstrang, I assume it is because of the Russian/Slavic aesthetic they went for as their general theme.
rintzscar@reddit
It's not in Bulgaria, but it was founded by a Bulgarian, according to Rowling.
https://harrypotter.fandom.com/wiki/Nerida_Vulchanova
mishrod@reddit
He was Bulgarian but the school wasn’t. Wasn’t it supposed to be in Northern Europe (hence the uniform). Hardly in the balkans. I imagine Finland or northern Russia. Probably why there’s so many Russian-ish names
Distinct_Chef_2672@reddit
Albania mentioned rahh 🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱
MyPlantsDieSometimes@reddit (OP)
A lot of people said it's German/Byzantine inspired because the school itself isn't Bulgarian, only the quidditch team. That makes sense.
People saying it is not exactly the same flag- no shit. But tell me it's not incredibly similar and you can go to the gulag.
Austro_bugar@reddit
Ilirian wizards.
Substratas@reddit
Byzantine*
-R0B0@reddit
From what I've understood the ship is not Bulgarian, as they are referred to as being much farther north than Hogwarts. The famous student krum (Don't remember his name) is from Bulgaria but the school is not
Tolerantni-desnicar@reddit
It did not
vikezz@reddit
The Holy Roman Empire had a double-headed eagle so it's not limited only to the Balkans, from the canon we know that Durmstrang is not even in Bulgaria but in Norway or Sweden soaybe they got the motive from that. It's a common symbol in royalty, they found it fancy and decided to run with it. We also never get an exact ethnicity of the other students, we only know that particularly Viktor is Bulgarian.
Still-Company7238@reddit
It is not same flag? You can argue it’s the opposite of it 😂
Suitable-Decision-26@reddit
They fly on magic brooms and battle wizards. This flag is the least of Bulgaria's problems in that universe.
PasicT@reddit
Because the producers of Harry Potter are totally ignorant.
djiipon@reddit
The school is located in the North, plus the name is German. They probably made a reference to the German eagle, more than anything else...
MyPlantsDieSometimes@reddit (OP)
I've been wondering for years and I saw an HP post here earlier. Decided to finally ask. The Bulgarian coat of arms is a lion for anyone that doesn't know. That one looks very Albanian, even German.
Swordwielder5@reddit
Actually it is a Serbian flag. Medieval rulers of Serbia, Nemanjic dynasty, used flag with red 2 headed eagle on white or yellow background.