Descendant of Oldebroek's historic mayors visits to preserve family legacy
A descendant of Oldebroek's former mayors visited the municipality to connect family archives with local history. This collaboration highlights how personal stories enrich regional heritage and ensure its preservation for future generations.
| Key Data Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Visitor | Maarten von Balluseck, descendant of former mayors |
| Accompanied by | Partner Floris van Hindevoort, Dutch Nobility Association, Noord-Veluws Archief |
| Ancestors | Henricus Boonzaaijer van Jeveren (5th mayor of Oldebroek), Frederik Adolf van Spaen van Schouwenburg (1st mayor) |
| Locations Visited | Estate Zwaluwenburg, Huis Schouwenburg, Estate Old Putten |
| Purpose | Discuss collaboration on family archives and historical preservation |
| Municipality | Oldebroek, Gelderland |
| Date | March 20, 2026 |
The municipality of Oldebroek plays a key role in preserving and promoting local heritage by facilitating collaborations between private archives and public institutions. This ensures historical narratives remain accessible and meaningful to the community. The Noord-Veluws Archief supports these efforts by managing and digitizing regional historical documents.
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Read the full translated article below
Special visit connects family history with Oldebroek
The municipality of Oldebroek received a special visit last Friday. Maarten von Balluseck came to the town hall together with his partner Floris van Hindevoort. Also present were Marjolein van Panhuys, chair of the Dutch Nobility Association, and John Töpfer, director of the Foundation for Nobility in the Netherlands. Representing the Noord-Veluws Archief (NoVA), director Rudolf Bosch also attended.
Family with administrative history
The reason for the visit is a remarkable family history. Von Balluseck is a direct descendant of Henricus Boonzaaijer van Jeveren, the fifth mayor of Oldebroek, who was married in his second marriage to the daughter of the first mayor of Oldebroek, Frederik Adolf van Spaen van Schouwenburg. Van Jeveren was also mayor of Elburg and Doornspijk. Thus, the family is closely connected to the administrative history of Oldebroek and the region.
Collaboration on archives
During the visit, documents and heirlooms from the Von Balluseck family archive were examined and discussed. There was also talk about how the family archive and the Noord-Veluws Archief can complement and strengthen each other.
Tour of historical locations
In addition, the group took a tour of the former residences of the former mayors: estate Zwaluwenburg, Huis Schouwenburg, and estate Old Putten. At each location, they were warmly welcomed and given a tour.
Mayor Haseloop commented: “It is special when family stories come together with the history of our municipality. This visit shows that the past is still very much alive. By sharing knowledge, stories, and archives, such family histories gain more meaning and are preserved for future generations.”
Mr. Von Balluseck noted: “It is wonderful to see how Oldebroek engages with its history and manages to bring it to life so vividly from time to time. I hope that by sharing information and objects from our family archive, I have been able to contribute to this. For me, this day was a very special dive into my family history, where the lives of my ancestors became literally tangible; a historical sensation! I would like to thank everyone who contributed to this visit, and in particular the mayor of Oldebroek and the director of the Noord-Veluws Archief for the warm welcome in the municipality and this special visit.”
With this visit, the municipality demonstrates how important collaboration is in preserving and sharing heritage and history.