title: Midden-Drenthe
text: # 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
  