Am I missing something ?

I've been wondering throughout reading the story - Have " Grindewald " and " Godric's Hollow " been mentioned in the other books before ? I just can't remeber it , but JKR wrote them so obvious it seems she reckoned that all of the readers should know .

to answer, but not answer the question.
Grendel is the name of the monster in the Beowulf legend. (there's a movie coming out later this year about it). I wonder if she got the inspiration for the name from Grendel. Particularly as Grindelwald was taken down by Dumbledore - given his preoccupation with Inferi, controlling death....

it sounds as though Grindelwald was probably a pre-cursor to Tom Riddle's line of thought really.

but - no - I hadn't heard of them before. (my memory isn't always accurate though....)

from what i remember... i think godric's hollow had been mentioned previously, however grindelwald i think was new , to be relevant for the final book...

Grindlewald was mentioned in The Sorcerer's Stone. When Harry tried his first Chocolate Frog he reads the collector card inside. It noted that Dumbledore was most famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindlewald in 1945.

wow good pick up! JK never ceases to amaze me, that she could create a completely new world!(for want of a better world seeing as it still incorporates our 'muggle' world)
With people, historians, families.... and then be able to link them all nicely together over 7 books.

Grindelwald has been mentioned here and there as the Dark Wizard preceding Voldemort.
Godric's Hallow was always known as the place James and Lily died, and where Harry defeated Voldemort for the first time. Most notably, Harry says he wants to go to Godric's Hallow at the end of HBP.