Midden-Drenthe
# Midden-Drenthe

Midden-Drenthe (Dutch pronunciation: (listen)) is a municipality in the northeastern Netherlands. The municipality was created in 1998, in a merger of the former municipalities of Beilen, Smilde, and Westerbork. Between 1998 and 2000, the name of the municipality was Middenveld.

## Population centres

* Balinge
* Beilen
* Bovensmilde
* Brunsting
* Bruntinge
* Drijber
* Elp
* Eursinge
* Garminge
* Hijken
* Hijkersmilde
* Holthe
* Hoogersmilde
* Hooghalen
* Laaghalen
* Laaghalerveen
* Lieving
* Makkum
* Mantinge
* Nieuw-Balinge
* Oranje
* Orvelte
* Smalbroek
* Smilde
* Spier
* Terhorst
* Westerbork
* Wijster
* Witteveen
* Zuidveld
* Zwiggelte.

The village of Westerbork gives its name to the Westerbork deportation and (later) concentration camp, located about 7 km north of the village, in the forests of Hooghalen.

The Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT) array was installed near the site of the camp in 1969.

## Education

There are 16 primary schools in the municipality as of 2023.

There are two secondary schools, both in Beilen:

* Dr. Nassau College
* CS Vincent van Gogh

## Notable people

* Carry van Bruggen (1881 in Smilde - 1932) a Dutch writer
* Jacob Israël de Haan (1881 in Smilde – 1924 in Jerusalem) a Dutch-Jewish literary writer, jurist and journalist, killed by Haganah
* Jan Hartman (1887 in Beilen – 1969) a Dutch fascist and collaborator during WWII
* Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper (1890 in Smilde – 2005 in Hoogeveen) the oldest person ever from the Netherlands
* Hans Heyting (1918 near Beilen – 1992) a Dutch poet, playwright, radio personality, children's book writer and painter
* Henk Koning (1933 in Beilen – 2016) a Dutch politician
* Martin van Hees (born 1964 in Beilen) a Dutch philosopher and academic
* Eef van Breen (born 1978 in Westerbork) a Dutch jazz trumpeter, singer, arranger and composer

### Sport

* Jan Lomulder (born 1967 in Beilen) a Dutch former kickboxer
* Adelinde Cornelissen (born 1979 in Beilen) a Dutch dressage rider
* Jasper Iwema (born 1989 in Hooghalen) a Dutch motorcycle rider
* Laura Dijkema (born 1990 in Beilen) a Dutch volleyball player
