Schwarze Elster
Encyclopedia
The Black Elster or Schwarze Elster is a 179 km long river
in eastern Germany
, in the states Saxony, Brandenburg
and Saxony-Anhalt
, right tributary of the Elbe
. Its source is in the Upper Lusatia
region, near Elstra
.
The Black Elster flows through the cities Kamenz
, Hoyerswerda
, Senftenberg
, Lauchhammer
, Elsterwerda
, Bad Liebenwerda
, Herzberg
and Jessen
. It flows into the river Elbe
at Elster (Elbe)
, upstream from Wittenberg
.
rises in the Lusatian Highlands (Upper Lusatia
) about 1.5 kilometres south of the village Kindisch in the borough of Elstra
on the eastern flank of the 396 metre high Kuppe, a subpeak of the Hochstein
. From here the Black Elster flows initially in a northerly direction through Elstra
, Kamenz
, Milstrich and Wittichenau
, from Hoyerswerda
it flows in a westwards to Elsterheide
. Further downstream, after 63 kilometres, it crosses the Saxon-Brandenburg border and flows though Senftenberg
, Ruhland
and Lauchhammer
to Elsterwerda
. From here it heads in a northwesterly direction through Bad Liebenwerda
, Herzberg
and Jessen
before emptying into the Elbe in the municipality of Elster (Elbe)
(river kilometre 198.5).
The most important tributaries of the Black Elster are the Hoyerswerdaer Schwarzwasser
, the Pulsnitz
, the Große Röder
, the Kleine Elster
and the Schweinitzer Fließ
.
crossed the Elbe River near its confluence with the Black Elster on 3 Oct 1813 on his march to Leipzig
.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in eastern Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, in the states Saxony, Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
and Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is a landlocked state of Germany. Its capital is Magdeburg and it is surrounded by the German states of Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia.Saxony-Anhalt covers an area of...
, right tributary of the Elbe
Elbe
The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northwestern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia , then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 110 km northwest of Hamburg...
. Its source is in the Upper Lusatia
Lusatia
Lusatia is a historical region in Central Europe. It stretches from the Bóbr and Kwisa rivers in the east to the Elbe valley in the west, today located within the German states of Saxony and Brandenburg as well as in the Lower Silesian and Lubusz voivodeships of western Poland...
region, near Elstra
Elstra
Elstra is a town in the district of Bautzen, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the river Schwarze Elster, 6 kilometres southeast of Kamenz, and 34 kilometres northeast of Dresden....
.
The Black Elster flows through the cities Kamenz
Kamenz
Kamenz is a Lusatian town in eastern Saxony, Germany, with a population of 18,243, and is part of the Bautzen district. The town is located about northeast of Dresden and about northwest of Bautzen....
, Hoyerswerda
Hoyerswerda
Hoyerswerda is the largest city in the district of Bautzen in the German state of Saxony. It is located in Lusatia, a region where many people speak the Sorbian languages in addition to German.-Geography:...
, Senftenberg
Senftenberg
Senftenberg is a town in southern Brandenburg, Germany, capital of the Oberspreewald-Lausitz district.-Geography:Senftenberg is located in the southwest of the historic Lower Lusatia region at the border with Saxony...
, Lauchhammer
Lauchhammer
Lauchhammer is a town in the Oberspreewald-Lausitz district, in southern Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated on the river Schwarze Elster, approx. 17 km west of Senftenberg, and 50 km north of Dresden....
, Elsterwerda
Elsterwerda
Elsterwerda is a town in the Elbe-Elster district, in southwestern Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated on the river Schwarze Elster, 48 km northwest of Dresden, and 11 km southeast of Bad Liebenwerda.-External links:...
, Bad Liebenwerda
Bad Liebenwerda
Bad Liebenwerda is a spa town in the Elbe-Elster district, in southwestern Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated on the river Schwarze Elster, 57 km northwest of Dresden, and 28 km east of Torgau.- History :...
, Herzberg
Herzberg
Herzberg is German for "heart mountain" and may refer to:*places in Germany:**Herzberg am Harz, a town in the Osterode district, Lower Saxony**Herzberg, Brandenburg, a town in the Elbe-Elster district, Brandenburg...
and Jessen
Jessen
Jessen may refer to:*Jessen , a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany*Jessen , a Danish surname*A typeface created by Rudolf Koch...
. It flows into the river Elbe
Elbe
The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northwestern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia , then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 110 km northwest of Hamburg...
at Elster (Elbe)
Elster (Elbe)
Elster is a village and a former municipality in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany located in Wittenberg district. Since 1 January 2011, it is part of the town Zahna-Elster...
, upstream from Wittenberg
Wittenberg
Wittenberg, officially Lutherstadt Wittenberg, is a city in Germany in the Bundesland Saxony-Anhalt, on the river Elbe. It has a population of about 50,000....
.
Geography
The riverRiver
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
rises in the Lusatian Highlands (Upper Lusatia
Upper Lusatia
Upper Lusatia is a region a biggest part of which belongs to Saxony, a small eastern part belongs to Poland, the northern part to Brandenburg. In Saxony, Upper Lusatia comprises roughly the districts of Bautzen and Görlitz , in Brandenburg the southern part of district Oberspreewald-Lausitz...
) about 1.5 kilometres south of the village Kindisch in the borough of Elstra
Elstra
Elstra is a town in the district of Bautzen, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the river Schwarze Elster, 6 kilometres southeast of Kamenz, and 34 kilometres northeast of Dresden....
on the eastern flank of the 396 metre high Kuppe, a subpeak of the Hochstein
Hochstein (Elstra)
Hochstein is a mountain of Saxony, southeastern Germany....
. From here the Black Elster flows initially in a northerly direction through Elstra
Elstra
Elstra is a town in the district of Bautzen, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the river Schwarze Elster, 6 kilometres southeast of Kamenz, and 34 kilometres northeast of Dresden....
, Kamenz
Kamenz
Kamenz is a Lusatian town in eastern Saxony, Germany, with a population of 18,243, and is part of the Bautzen district. The town is located about northeast of Dresden and about northwest of Bautzen....
, Milstrich and Wittichenau
Wittichenau
Wittichenau is a bilingual town in the district of Bautzen in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the river Schwarze Elster, 6 km south of Hoyerswerda....
, from Hoyerswerda
Hoyerswerda
Hoyerswerda is the largest city in the district of Bautzen in the German state of Saxony. It is located in Lusatia, a region where many people speak the Sorbian languages in addition to German.-Geography:...
it flows in a westwards to Elsterheide
Elsterheide
Elsterheide, in Sorbian Halštrowska hola, is a municipality in the district of Bautzen, in Saxony, Germany....
. Further downstream, after 63 kilometres, it crosses the Saxon-Brandenburg border and flows though Senftenberg
Senftenberg
Senftenberg is a town in southern Brandenburg, Germany, capital of the Oberspreewald-Lausitz district.-Geography:Senftenberg is located in the southwest of the historic Lower Lusatia region at the border with Saxony...
, Ruhland
Ruhland
Ruhland is a town in the Oberspreewald-Lausitz district, in southern Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated on the river Schwarze Elster, 12 km southwest of Senftenberg....
and Lauchhammer
Lauchhammer
Lauchhammer is a town in the Oberspreewald-Lausitz district, in southern Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated on the river Schwarze Elster, approx. 17 km west of Senftenberg, and 50 km north of Dresden....
to Elsterwerda
Elsterwerda
Elsterwerda is a town in the Elbe-Elster district, in southwestern Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated on the river Schwarze Elster, 48 km northwest of Dresden, and 11 km southeast of Bad Liebenwerda.-External links:...
. From here it heads in a northwesterly direction through Bad Liebenwerda
Bad Liebenwerda
Bad Liebenwerda is a spa town in the Elbe-Elster district, in southwestern Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated on the river Schwarze Elster, 57 km northwest of Dresden, and 28 km east of Torgau.- History :...
, Herzberg
Herzberg (Elster)
Herzberg is a town in the Elbe-Elster district of the German federal state of Brandenburg.-Overview:As of 2004, its population is 10,968 and the mayor is Michael Oecknigk of the Christian Democratic Union....
and Jessen
Jessen (Elster)
Jessen is a municipality on the Schwarze Elster and lies in the eastern part of Saxony-Anhalt in the district of Wittenberg.-Geography:Jessen is an amalgamated municipality, and has the following subdivisions:-History:...
before emptying into the Elbe in the municipality of Elster (Elbe)
Elster (Elbe)
Elster is a village and a former municipality in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany located in Wittenberg district. Since 1 January 2011, it is part of the town Zahna-Elster...
(river kilometre 198.5).
The most important tributaries of the Black Elster are the Hoyerswerdaer Schwarzwasser
Hoyerswerdaer Schwarzwasser
Hoyerswerdaer Schwarzwasser is a river of Saxony, Germany....
, the Pulsnitz
Pulsnitz (river)
Pulsnitz is a river of Brandenburg, Germany.-See also:*List of rivers of Brandenburg...
, the Große Röder
Große Röder
Große Röder is a river of Brandenburg, Germany.-See also:*List of rivers of Brandenburg...
, the Kleine Elster
Kleine Elster
Kleine Elster is a river of Brandenburg, Germany.-See also:*List of rivers of Brandenburg...
and the Schweinitzer Fließ
Schweinitzer Fließ
Schweinitzer Fließ is a river of Brandenburg, Germany....
.
Tributaries
| Left tributaries | Right tributaries |
|---|---|
|
Klosterwasser Klosterwasser is a river of Saxony, Germany.-See also:*List of rivers of Saxony... , near Kotten at 128 m Hoyerswerdaer Schwarzwasser Hoyerswerdaer Schwarzwasser is a river of Saxony, Germany.... , near Hoyerswerda at 118 m Pößnitz (river) Pößnitz is a river of Brandenburg, Germany.... , near Schwarzheide at 97 m Kleine Elster Kleine Elster is a river of Brandenburg, Germany.-See also:*List of rivers of Brandenburg... , near Wahrenbrück at 84 m Schweinitzer Fließ Schweinitzer Fließ is a river of Brandenburg, Germany.... , near Schweinitz at 71,3 m |
History
Field Marshal BlücherGebhard Leberecht von Blücher
Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Fürst von Wahlstatt , Graf , later elevated to Fürst von Wahlstatt, was a Prussian Generalfeldmarschall who led his army against Napoleon I at the Battle of the Nations at Leipzig in 1813 and at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 with the Duke of Wellington.He is...
crossed the Elbe River near its confluence with the Black Elster on 3 Oct 1813 on his march to Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
.