Elbe

Quick Facts: Who was Elbe?

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Elbe

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Major Central European river flowing from the Czech Republic to the North Sea.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Elbe (Czech: Labe) is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Giant Mountains of the northern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia (western half of the Czech Republic), then Germany before flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 110 kilometres (68 miles) northwest of Hamburg. Its total length is 1,094 km (680 mi). The Elbe's major tributaries include the rivers Vltava, Ohře, Saale, Havel, Mulde, and Schwarze Elster. The Elbe river basin, comprising the Elbe and its tributaries, has a catchment area of 148,268 square kilometres (57,247 sq mi), the twelfth-largest in Europe.

Career & Major Achievements

The basin spans four countries; however, it lies almost entirely within two of them: Germany (65.5%) and the Czech Republic (33.7%), covering about two-thirds of the basin's area. On its southeastern edge, the Elbe River Basin also comprises small parts of Austria (0.6%) and Poland (0.2%). The Elbe catchment area is inhabited by 24.4 million people; its biggest cities are Berlin, Hamburg, Prague, Dresden and Leipzig. First attested in Latin as Albis, the name Elbe means 'river' or 'riverbed' and is simply the High German version of a word (*albī) found elsewhere in Germanic; cf. Old Norse river name Elfr, Swedish älv 'river', Norwegian elv 'river', Old English river name Elf, and Middle Low German elve 'riverbed'. The Elbe (Labe) rises on the slopes of Mt. Violík at an elevation of 1,386 metres (4,547 ft) in the Giant Mountains on the northwest border of the Czech Republic.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

After descending the 30 metres (98 ft) Elbe Falls, it is joined by the steep, fast-flowing Bílé Labe. The combined stream then flows south, emerging from the mountain valleys at Jaroměř, where it is joined by the Úpa and Metuje. Here, the Elbe enters the vast vale named Polabí (meaning "land along the Elbe"), and continues southward through Hradec Králové (where Orlice flows in) and then to Pardubice, where it turns sharply to the west. At Kolín, some 43 kilometres (27 mi) further on, it bends gradually northwest. At the village of Káraný, a little above Brandýs nad Labem, the Jizera enters.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Elbe

True or False: “The Elbe River's basin is entirely contained within Germany and the Czech Republic.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While it lies mostly in these two countries, its basin also comprises small parts of Austria (0.6%) and Poland (0.2%).

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Frequently Asked Questions about Elbe