Jan Smallenbroek

invaded the Netherlands and the government fled to London to escape the German occupation. Smallenbroek served as acting Mayor of Elburg from 1 April 1940 until 15 May 1940. Smallenbroek joined the Dutch resistance against the German occupiers in May 1940. Smallenbroek worked as a civil servant for the municipality of Assen from September 1941 until April 1942 and as a tax collector for the Tax and Customs Administration of the Ministry of Finance from April 1942 until January 1944. On 12 January 1944 Smallenbroek was arrested by the Gestapo and detained in a prison in Scheveningen

Minister of the Interior, taking office on 14 April 1965. On 31 August 1966 Smallenbroek resigned following a Hit and run accident due to driving under the influence. Smallenbroek remained in active in national politics, in August 1967 he was nominated as a Member of the Council of State, taking office on 1 September 1967. In June 1967 Smallenbroek was diagnosed with terminal cancer^{[citation needed}