Only the Animals

by

Ceridwen Dovey

Professor Wüst Character Analysis

Professor Wüst is Himmler’s spiritual advisor in “Hundstage” and is a real historical figure. He and Himmler have a weekly appointment in which they discuss Hindu philosophy and how to repackage Hindu beliefs for a German audience. The dog doesn’t like Wüst; though Wüst is supposed to be a vegetarian (like the dog and like Himmler), the dog has seen Wüst sneakily eating meat sometimes.
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Professor Wüst Character Timeline in Only the Animals

The timeline below shows where the character Professor Wüst appears in Only the Animals. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Hundstage: Soul of Dog (Died 1941, Poland)
Animals and War Theme Icon
Human Cruelty Theme Icon
Kindness and Compassion Theme Icon
...a chicken farmer until he received a copy of Hermann Hesse’s book Siddhartha. Master—Himmler—connected with Professor Wüst , his spiritual guide, and has been studying Hinduism. Now, he knows he was having... (full context)
Animals and War Theme Icon
Human Cruelty Theme Icon
Master keeps a weekly meditation appointment with Professor Wüst , which takes place in the sacred crypt of the castle at Wewelsburg. The dog... (full context)
Animals and War Theme Icon
...dog’s final visit to Wewelsburg, not long before his betrayal and banishment, his Master and Professor Wüst discuss how to inspire their followers to be courageous now that Germany is at war.... (full context)
The Interconnectedness of Humans and Animals Theme Icon
Human Cruelty Theme Icon
Professor Wüst says that the only problem is explaining the connection between India and Hinduism. Aryan conquerors... (full context)
The Interconnectedness of Humans and Animals Theme Icon
Professor Wüst says it’s time to read, so Master lies back in corpse pose to listen. Wüst... (full context)