The Weser () is a
river
A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of ...
of
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony (german: Niedersachsen ; nds, Neddersassen; stq, Läichsaksen) is a German state (') in northwestern Germany. It is the second-largest state by land area, with , and fourth-largest in population (8 million in 2021) among the 16 ...
in north-west
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...
. It begins at
Hannoversch Münden through the
confluence of the
Werra and
Fulda. It passes through the
Hanseatic city of
Bremen. Its mouth is further north against the ports of
Bremerhaven and
Nordenham. The latter is on the
Butjadingen Peninsula. It then merges into the
North Sea
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian ...
via two highly
saline,
estuarine mouths.
It connects to the canal network running east-west across the
North German Plain.
The river, when combined with the Werra (a dialectal form of "Weser"), is long and thus, the longest river entirely situated within Germany (the
Main, however, is the longest if the Weser and Werra are not combined). The Weser itself is long. The Werra rises in
Thuringia
Thuringia (; german: Thüringen ), officially the Free State of Thuringia ( ), is a state of central Germany, covering , the sixth smallest of the sixteen German states. It has a population of about 2.1 million.
Erfurt is the capital and lar ...
, the
German state south of the main projection (tongue) of Lower Saxony.
Etymology
"Weser" and "Werra" are the same words in different dialects. The difference reflects the old
linguistic border between
Central
Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object.
Central may also refer to:
Directions and generalised locations
* Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known a ...
and
Low German, passing through Hannoversch Münden.
The name likely derives from the Old Germanic ''*waisōn'' "flow, ooze".
It is cognate with the
Wear in England and
Vistula (Polish Wisła, German Weichsel) in Poland, all of which are derived from the
Proto-Indo-European
Proto-Indo-European (PIE) is the reconstructed common ancestor of the Indo-European language family. Its proposed features have been derived by linguistic reconstruction from documented Indo-European languages. No direct record of Proto-Indo ...
root
*''weys-'' "to flow", which also gives rise to Old English/Old Frisian ''wāse'' "mud, ooze", Old Norse ''veisa'' "slime, stagnant pool", Dutch ''waas'' "haze; soggy land" (see
Waasland), Old Saxon ''waso'' "wet ground, mire", Old High German ''wasal'' "rain" and French ''vase'' "mud, sludge".
Course
The Weser starts at the confluence of the Fulda and the Werra. It then runs down to the
Porta Westfalica
Porta Westfalica () is a town in the district of Minden-Lübbecke, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
The name "''Porta Westfalica''" is Latin and means "gate to Westphalia". Coming from the north, the gorge is the entry to the region of W ...
between two high hill ranges, the
Wiehengebirge, west and the
Weserbergland in the east.
Between
Minden and the North Sea, humans have
largely canalised the river up to a limit of 1,200-ton ships. Eight hydroelectric dams stand at the ends of adjacent weirstreams that make up the river. The navigation is linked west to the
Dortmund–Ems Canal
The Dortmund–Ems Canal is a long canal in Germany between the inland port of the city of Dortmund () and the seaport of Emden. The artificial southern part of the canal ends after at Herbrum lock near Meppen. The route then takes th ...
via the
Coastal Canal. It is linked east at
Bremerhaven to the
Elbe
The Elbe (; cs, Labe ; nds, Ilv or ''Elv''; Upper and dsb, Łobjo) 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 Re ...
.
A large reservoir, the
Edersee, on the
Eder, the main tributary of the Fulda, is used to allow enough water depth for shipping year-round. The dam, built in 1914, was
bombed and severely damaged by British aircraft in May 1943, causing great destruction and about 70 deaths downstream. It was rebuilt within four months. The reservoir is a major summer resort area. Turbines driven by its
sluices provide electricity.
Weserradweg b Oedelsheim.jpg, "Upper" Weser, in reality the central section between the upper courses Werra and Fulda, and the lowland section
Minden Weser-Mittelland Kanal Lock 01.jpg, Mittelland Canal/ River Weser Lock in Minden taken in 1977
MI-16 River Weser (Minden) North (RLH).jpg, View north of the River Weser and the road bridge at Minden
River Weser (Minden) South To Porta West Falica (RLH).jpg, Southern view of the River Weser from the road bridge at Minden in 1977
The Weser enters the North Sea in the southernmost part of the
German Bight. In the sea it splits into two arms – the riverbed at the end of the
last ice age. These sea arms are called ''Alte Weser'' (old Weser) and ''Neue Weser'' (new Weser). They are the waterways for ships heading for the ports of Bremerhaven,
Nordenham, and
Bremen. The
Alte Weser Lighthouse marks the northernmost point of the Weser. This replaced the
Roter Sand Lighthouse in 1964.
Tributaries
The largest tributary of the Weser is the
Aller, which joins south of Bremen. Tributaries of the Weser and the Werra (from source to mouth) are:
Modes of the list:
* Listed upstream, but sides seen with the flow
* Distances ("km …") from the hydrographical limit towards the sea
** "II", "III"and "IV" mark distances of secondary/tertiary tributaries from the confluence with the Weser etc.
* After the names, lengths and basin sizes are given.
* Lengths with longer affluents are given behind the slash, lengths including an upper course with another name with "or"
List:
* km 19, right:
Geeste (in Bremerhaven), 42.5 km, 338 km
2
* km 33, right:
Lune, 43 km, 383 km
2
* km 35.9, right:
Drepte, 37.6 km, 101 km
2
* km 52.8, left:
Hunte, 189 km, 2.785 km
2
** II: km 125.7: Lake
Dümmer
* km 67.6, right:
Lesum, 9.9 or 131.5, 2,188 km
2
** II: km 9.9, right
Hamme, 48.5 km, 549 km
2
**↑ main stream:
Wümme, 118 / 120, 1,585 km
2
* km 72.5, left:
Ochtum, 25.6 or 45 km, 917 km
2
** II: km 25.6: left
Hache, 33 km, 118 km
2
* km 125.6, right:
Aller, 260 km, 15,744 km
2
** II: km 63.6, left:
Leine
The Leine (; Old Saxon ''Lagina'') is a river in Thuringia and Lower Saxony, Germany. It is a left tributary of the Aller and the Weser and is long.
The river's source is located close to the town of Leinefelde in Thuringia. About downriv ...
, 278 km, 5,617 km
2, stronger than river Aller above
*** III: km 112.7, right:
Innerste, 99.7 km, 1,264 km
2
*** III: km 192.8, right:
Rhume, 44 km, 1,193 km
2, stronger than river Leine above
*** IV: km 15.6, right:
Oder, 56 km, 385 km
2, headwater of the strongest waterway of Aller system
** II: km 97.3, right:
Örtze
Örtze () is a river of Lower Saxony, Germany. The Örtze rises north of Munster in the ''Große Heide'' (in the ''Raubkammer'' federal forest) and, after , joins the Aller southeast of Winsen.
Source and course
The Örtze valley is an old ...
, 62 / 70 km, 760 km
2
** II: km 140.7, left:
Oker, 218 km, 1822 km
2, stronger than river Aller above
* km 184.6, right: Steinhuder Meerbach
** ↑ km II: 29 lake
Steinhuder Meer
* km 188.7, left:
Große Aue, 84.5 km, 1,522 km
2
* km 261.3, left:
Werre, 71.9 km, 1485 km
2
** II: km 12.7, left:
Else, 34.6 km, 416 km
2, branch of the
Hase
The Hase is a long river of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is a right tributary of the Ems, but part of its flow goes to the Else, that is part of the Weser basin. Its source is in the Teutoburg Forest, south-east of Osnabrück, on the north s ...
, an affluent of
Ems
* km 287.7, left:
Exter, 26.1 km, 109 km
2
* km 323.3, left:
Emmer, 61.8 km, 535 km
2
* km 387.5, left:
Nethe
Nethe is a river of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It flows into the Weser near Höxter.
See also
*List of rivers of North Rhine-Westphalia
A list of rivers of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany:
A
* Aa, left tributary of the Möhne
* Aa, ...
, 50.4 km, 460 km
2
* km 406.5, left:
Diemel, 110.5 km, 1,762 km
2
* km 451.5, left:
Fulda, 220.4 km, 6.947 km
2
:: II: km 45.3, left:
Eder, 176.1 km, 3,361 km
2, headwater of the strongest waterway of Weser system
::: III: km 17.1, left:
Schwalm, 97.1 km, 1.299 km
2
::: ↑ III: km 49.4–70.5:
Edersee reservoir
:: II: 120.1, right:
Haune
The Haune is a 67 km long river in Hesse, Germany, right tributary of the Fulda. Its source is near Dietershausen, southeast of the town Fulda, in the Rhön Mountains. The Haune flows generally north through the towns Hünfeld, Burghaun a ...
, 66.5 km, 500 km
2
* ↑ main stream above km 451.5:
Werra, 299.6 km, 5.497 km
2
* km 566.5, right:
Hörsel, 55.2 or 64.3, 784 km
2
** km 9.8, right:
Nesse, 54.5 km, 426 km
2
* km 513.1, left:
Ulster, 57.2 km, 421 km
2
* km 604.4, right:
Schleuse, 34.2 km, 283 km
2
Notable towns
Main towns along the Weser are (from the head of the river to its mouth):
Hann. Münden,
Beverungen
Beverungen () is a town in Höxter district in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Geography
Location
Beverungen lies in the Weser Uplands on the side of the Weser opposite Solling roughly 10 km south of Höxter. In parts of the eastern m ...
,
Höxter,
Holzminden
Holzminden (; nds, Holtsminne) is a town in southern Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Holzminden. It is located on the river Weser, which at this point forms the border with the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
His ...
,
Bodenwerder
The ''Münchhausenstadt'' Bodenwerder is a municipality in Holzminden district, Lower Saxony, Germany. It lies on the river Weser and is best known as the birthplace and residence of Baron von Münchhausen.
Geography
Bodenwerder is located in ...
,
Hamelin,
Hessisch Oldendorf,
Rinteln,
Vlotho,
Bad Oeynhausen
Bad Oeynhausen () is a spa town on the southern edge of the Wiehengebirge in the district of Minden-Lübbecke in the East-Westphalia-Lippe region of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The closest larger towns are Bielefeld (39 kilometres southw ...
,
Porta Westfalica
Porta Westfalica () is a town in the district of Minden-Lübbecke, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
The name "''Porta Westfalica''" is Latin and means "gate to Westphalia". Coming from the north, the gorge is the entry to the region of W ...
,
Minden,
Petershagen,
Nienburg,
Achim,
Bremen,
Brake,
Nordenham,
Bremerhaven.
Popular culture
The river features in the legend and folk tale the
Pied Piper of Hamelin.
References
Etymology
* Dieter Berger: ''Geographische Namen in Deutschland''. Duden-Verlag, Mannheim 1999.
* Hans Krahe: ''Sprache und Vorzeit''. Quelle & Meyer, Heidelberg 1954. (''Zur alteuropäischen Hydronomie''.)
* Julius Pokorny: ''Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch''. Francke, Bern 1959.
Geology
* Karsten Meinke: ''Die Entwicklung der Weser im Nordwestdeutschen Flachland während des jüngeren Pleistozäns''. Diss., Göttingen 1992. Mit Bodenprofilen der Weserstädte.
* Ludger Feldmann und Klaus-Dieter Meyer (Hrsg.): ''Quartär in Niedersachsen. Exkursionsführer zur Jubiläums-Hauptversammlung der Deutschen Quartärvereinigung in Hannover''. DEUQUA-Exkursionsführer, Hannover 1998, page 89ff.
* Hans Heinrich Seedorf und Hans-Heinrich Meyer: ''Landeskunde Niedersachsen. Natur und Kulturgeschichte eines Bundeslandes''. Volume 1: ''Historische Grundlagen und naturräumliche Ausstattung''. Wachtholz, Neumünster 1992, page 105ff.
* Ludger Feldmann: ''Das Quartär zwischen Harz und Allertal mit einem Beitrag zur Landschaftsgeschichte im Tertiär''. Papierflieger, Clausthal-Zellerfeld 2002, page 133ff and others.
Archaeology
* Bremer Archäologische Blätter, Beiheft 2/2000 zur gleichnamigen Ausstellung im Focke-Museum: ''Siedler, Söldner und Piraten, Chauken und Sachsen im Bremer Raum'', Der Landesarchäologe Bremen, .
* Bremer Archäologische Blätter, Beiheft 3/2004 zur gleichnamigen Ausstellung im Focke-Museum: ''Gefundene Vergangenheit'', Archäologie des Mittelalters in Bremen, Der Landesarchäologe Bremen, . (wg.Geschichte des
Weserarms Balge)
History
* Georg Bessell: ''Geschichte Bremerhavens''. Morisse, Bremerhaven 1927, 1989.
* Heinz Conradis: ''Der Kampf um die Weservertiefung in alter Zeit''. In: ''Bremisches Jahrbuch''. Bremen 41.1944.
* J. W. A. Hunichs: ''Practische Anleitung zum Deich-, Siel- und Schlengenbau''. Erster Theil, von den Sielen. Bremen 1770.
* ''Die Kanalisierung der Mittelweser''. Published by the Mittelweser AG, Carl Schünemann Verlag, Bremen 1960.
* Kuratorium für Forschung im Küsteningenieurswesen: ''Die Küste''. In: ''Archiv für Forschung und Technik an der Nord- und Ostsee''. Boyens, Heide 51.1991.
Description
* Karl Löbe: ''Das Weserbuch''. Niemeyer, Hameln 1968.
* Nils Aschenbeck, Wolf Dietmar Stock: ''Eine Flussfahrt von der Aller bis zur Nordsee''. Atelier im Bauernhaus, Fischerhude 1998. .
{{Authority control
Rivers of Lower Saxony
Rivers of Bremen (state)
Bodies of water of the North Sea
Federal waterways in Germany
Rivers of Germany