Westerbork (village)
village in Midden-Drenthe, Netherlands
Westerbork (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈʋɛstərˌbɔr(ə)k]) is a village in the municipality of Midden-Drenthe in the Netherlands. It is located in the middle of the eastern province of Drenthe. During World War II, the Westerbork transit camp was located near the village. The Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope and the Camp Westerbork Museum are now situated at the site.
History
The village was first mentioned in 1206 as Burch. It is unclear whether it is "western castle" or "western forest (of birch trees)". Westerbork is an esdorp from the Early Middle Ages which developed on higher ground. The 12th century chapel was elevated to church in 1240, and it became an independent parish. Westerbork contained four essen (communal pastures).
The tower of the Dutch Reformed church dates from the 13th century and contains a bell from the 13th or 14th century.
“Westerbork (village)” enters the record as village in Midden-Drenthe, Netherlands. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Westerbork, village and Midden-Drenthe can confirm, complicate or overturn.
Why this record matters
“Westerbork (village)” is worth following because a concise public description often conceals a longer documentary argument. Here, Westerbork, village and Midden-Drenthe provides the most credible route into that argument.
Maps, plans, fabric surveys and administrative records can establish how the site’s name, extent and function changed over time. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 21, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q2143944. VIAF identifies the subject as 155982275. The Library of Congress control number is n83227146. Authority coordinates are 52.852, 6.609. 2 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1206 and 1240.
Modern boundaries and familiar names can conceal earlier jurisdictions or structures that do not align with the present site. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Westerbork (village)”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Westerbork (village) primary sources, Westerbork (village) archive and Westerbork research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Westerbork (village)”?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Westerbork (village)” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.