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Newt Hoenikker
Dr. Koenigswald is an employee of Julian Castle's and works at San Lorenzo's only hospital: The House of Hope and Mercy in the Jungle. Julian Castle explains to John that Dr. Koenigswald was a physician for the Nazis, participating in the mass murder that occurred at Auschwitz that killed over a million people. Dr. Koenigswald, absurdly, works at the hospital in an effort to pay off his moral debt by saving lives to make up for those he was involved in ending. Near the end of the book, he accidentally ingests ice-nine and is killed instantly.
Dr. Schlichter von Koenigswald Quotes in Cat’s Cradle
The Cat’s Cradle quotes below are all either spoken by Dr. Schlichter von Koenigswald or refer to Dr. Schlichter von Koenigswald . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 83 Quotes
“He was in the S.S. for fourteen years. He was a camp physician at Auschwitz for six of those years.”
“Doing penance at the House of Hope and Mercy is he?”
“Yes,” said Castle, “and making great strides, too, saving lives right and left.”
“Good for him.”
“Yes. If he keeps going at his present rate, working night and day, the number of people he’s saved will equal the number of people he let die—in the year 3010.”
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Explanation and Analysis:
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"My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." -Graham S.
Dr. Schlichter von Koenigswald Character Timeline in Cat’s Cradle
The timeline below shows where the character Dr. Schlichter von Koenigswald appears in Cat’s Cradle. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 83. Dr. Schlichter von Koenigswald Approaches the Break-Even Point
John asks who is “Papa” Monzano’s doctor; Julian explains that it is Dr. Schlichter von Koenigswald . Dr. Koenigswald was a physician at Auschwitz for the Nazis. He now works at...
(full context)
Chapter 96. Bell, Book, and Chicken in a Hatbox
Frank and John can’t get in right away to see “Papa”. His doctor, Dr. Koenigswald , tells them they need to wait half an hour. They wait in a room...
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Chapter 97. The Stinking Christian
Dr. Koenigswald leads John and Frank in to see “Papa”. The dictator is in a bed made...
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“Papa” keeps whispering hoarsely, saying “goodbye” and “ice.” Dr. Koenigswald is slightly baffled, as whenever they bring him ice he doesn’t seem to want it....
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Chapter 98. Last Rites
John witnesses the last rites, administered by Dr. Koenigswald —who is not completely sure how they go. Even though he’s a scientist, he says...
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Chapter 99. Dyot meet mat
Dr. Koenigswald continues. The mud praised God’s creation, and feels “very unimportant” in comparison. But human mud...
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Chapter 105. Pain-killer
...eaten some of the albatross, John searches for a bathroom, feeling sick. He bumps into Dr. Koenigswald , who seems very worried. He explains that “Papa” took whatever was in the cylinder...
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Chapter 106. What Bokononists Say When They Commit Suicide
Dr. Koenigswald explains that “Papa” had been raving about “pain, ice, Mona,” before saying “now I will...
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Chapter 108. Frank Tells Us What to Do
...in response to what she is seeing is ‘Uck.” Newt, looking down at the deceased Dr. Koenigswald , says that what’s happened is “like the dog” on the night Dr. Hoenikker died,...
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Chapter 113. History
...bodies but decide to wait till after the “Hundred Martyrs to Democracy ceremony.” They hide Dr. Koenigswald in a clothes closet.
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