Weisse Elster
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| Weisse Elster (Weiße Elster) | |
|---|---|
 Weisse Elster valley |
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| Origin | Western Czech Republic |
| Mouth | Saale 51°25′57″N 11°57′10″E / 51.4325°N 11.95278°ECoordinates: 51°25′57″N 11°57′10″E / 51.4325°N 11.95278°E |
| Basin countries | Germany, Czech Republic |
| Length | 257 km |
| Source elevation | 724 m |
The Weisse Elster (German: Weiße Elster, literally "White Elster"; Czech: Bílý Halštrof) is a 257 kilometers (160 mi) long river in central Europe, right tributary of the Saale. Its source is in the westernmost part of the Czech Republic, near Aš. After a few kilometres, it flows into eastern Germany. In Germany, it flows through the states of Saxony, Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt.
[edit] Meaning of the name
Although "Elster" is German for "magpie", the origin of the name has nothing to do with the bird. It is of Slavic origin: alstrawa = hurrying. The White Elster never touches the Black Elster, which flows from Lausitz into the Elbe. The rivers have the names "white" and "black" to distinguish between them.
The Weisse Elster flows through the cities of Plauen, Greiz, Gera, Zeitz and Leipzig. It flows into the river Saale in Halle.
In the history of the Napoleonic Wars, the river is notable as the death site of Józef Antoni Poniatowski in 1813.
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