Elbe River, Czech Labe, one of the major waterways of central Europe. It runs from the Czech Republic through Germany to the North Sea, flowing generally to the northwest. The river rises on the southern side of the Krkonoše (Giant) Mountains near the border of the Czech Republic and Poland. It then makes a wide arc across Bohemia (northwestern Czech Republic) and enters eastern Germany about 40 km southeast of Dresden. For the remainder of its course it flows through Germany. Above Hamburg the Elbe splits into two branches; these rejoin farther downstream, and the river then broadens into its estuary, the mouth of which is at Cuxhaven, where it flows into the North Sea. Six different rivers flow into the Elbe, and various smaller streams do as well. The main rivers from Germany that flow into the Elbe are the Ohre, the Schwarze Elseter, the Mulde, the Havel and the Saale. The sixth river flows into the Elbe in the Czech Republic, which is the Vltave River. The Vltave River is the Czech Republic’s largest river. The Elbe has a total length of 1,094 kilometers and the fourth largest catchment area in Europe at 148,268 square kilometers. The basin spans four countries, however it lies almost entirely just in two of them, Germany (65.5%) and the Czech Republic (33.7%, covering about two thirds of the state’s territory). Marginally, the basin stretches also to Austria (0.6%) and Poland (0.2%). The Elbe catchment area is inhabited by 24.4 million people, the biggest cities within are Berlin, Hamburg, Prague, Dresden and Leipzig. It and its linked canals have long been important for German trade.
The basin of the Elbe has been settled since prehistoric times. Until the Middle Ages the river was the western boundary of the area inhabited by the northern Slavs. In the 12th century the Germans began to colonize the lands east of the Elbe and along the Baltic Sea. In World War II a point on the Elbe near Torgau was the meeting place of the U.S. and Soviet armies. From the end of the war until 1990, the river formed part of the demarcation between East and West Germany.
Ashes left over from the cremation of Adolf Hitler (leader of Nazi Germany) were dumped into the river.
An Elbe river cruise is extraordinarily beautiful, providing river cruise visitors stunning views of lush landscapes that have hardly changed in hundreds of years. The course of the river is predominantly natural, unaltered by human technology. As such, a cruise along the river provides an unspoiled experience of how the river has appeared throughout history. Preservation is therefore a priority in this area. A biosphere reserve region of the river provides an important wetlands habitat for hundreds of bird, fish and amphibian species and unique plant life. Lucky cruise guests may glimpse red and black kites, storks and even cranes as they cruise along the river.
In summer, the Elbe beaches (Elbstrände) around Blankenese are a beloved location to spend sunny days sunbathing, barbecuing, or simply enjoying the view of the container port on the other side. Along the beach a small path leads past several cafés and restaurants.
The Old Elbe Tunnel, built in 1911, was the first river tunnel on the European continent and is considered a historic masterpiece of civil engineering. Today, it’s best admired on foot or by bicycle.On weekends, the tunnel is closed to traffic, making it a calmer time to pass through. On the other side, you can continue on to discover the district of Wilhelmsburg.
When you are in Wittenberg, make sure you stop at the beautiful Market Square. This ancient square is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The square is bordered by ancient beautiful gabled houses. In the center of the square itself, you will see a statue of Luther, the founder of the Lutheran church. On his statue, he is accompanied by Melanchthon, his disciple. Furthermore, at the southwest of the square, you will be able to see Lucas Cranach the Elder’s home, where he lived between 1505 and 1547. Lucas Cranach the Elder was mayor of Wittenberg as well.
Cycling enthusiasts can also enjoy the 23 kilometers of the Elbewanderweg path which leads from Wedel past the nature reserve Wittenberger Heide to Blankenese. You’ll pass beautiful Övelgönne and eventually reach the Landungsbrücken piers. There are plenty of shortcuts, and return ferries depart from many points along the way.
The flow of water in the Elbe varies considerably with the amount of precipitation and thawing in its drainage basin. At Dresden the discharge rate averaged 317 m3 per second in the period 1931–75, but the rate varied from a minimum of 800 cubic feet to a maximum of 118,700. At Neu-Darchau, about 140 miles above the mouth, the discharge rate was 24,700 cubic feet per second in the period 1926–65, with extremes of 5,100 and 127,700. These great variations sometimes hinder navigation. Although there are dams on the upper Elbe in the Czech Republic and at Geesthacht, Ger., and large dams have been built on the Vltava and on the Saale in the Thuringian Forest, these are not sufficient to control the water level of the Elbe.
The lower course of the Elbe is tidal as far as the dam at Geesthacht, above Hamburg, where the river flow periodically reverses its direction. The average tide at Hamburg is about eight feet. However, during storms the water may rise much higher, occasionally even flooding parts of the city.
The Elbe was one of the most polluted rivers in Europe from the 1950s to the early 1990s. The most important factor in the pollution of this river is the factories in the former German Democratic Republic and Czechoslovakia, which lacked environmental standards and caused the biological death of this river. On October 8, 1990, a treaty was concluded between Germany, Czechoslovakia and the European Union, and the Commission for the Protection of the Elbe was established. Since then, with the implementation of this law, the water quality of this river has significantly improved. The middle and terminal part of this river (called Elbe Park with an area of 375,000 hectares) belongs to the UNESCO protected area. Elbe erupted in August 2002, causing extensive damage, especially in Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt.
