In Dracula, if Dr. Van Helsing was Dutch, why does he speak German?

Question

Phrases like, "Mein Gott!" or "Mein leiber Gott!" or "Gott in Himmel!" Why was Van Helsing speaking German? I thought he was a Dutchman.

Answer 1

I'm pretty sure he's Russian

Answer 2

I am a German teacher married to an actual Dutchman, and I asked my husband if those German phrases would use the same or similar words in Dutch. He said first of all nobody he knew of in Holland would USE such phrases. They have different phrases that would express the same sentiment apparently. And also, those words would be spelled differently if literally substituted for Dutch words meaning the same things. "Gott in Himmel" would be "God in hemel."

I too came to this forum hoping to find an answer about why the Dutchman Van Helsing was using German phrases. And by the way, regarding Guest6491's comment about the Dutch living in a place that the Germans took over-- the book was published in 1897. Germany did not "take it over" until the next century. I believe a more likely explanation of Van Helsing's tendency to use German phrases is that as a well traveled and highly literate man, he probably was fluent in more languages than just Dutch and English, and perhaps simply enjoyed using those phrases because they were so perfect for expressing what he is feeling. I myself have certain German words and phrases that I use regularly just because they sound so much BETTER than anything my own native English language could say for the same situation or object.
Analiese