One of Central Europe’s most important waterways, the Elbe River rises at an elevation of about 5,000 feet in the northwestern Czech Republic. It is fed by a number of small streams, the most important being the White Elbe. The Elbe traverses much of Germany in a northwesterly direction on its way to the North Sea.
The Elbe was mentioned by ancient Egyptian historian Ptolemy, and was known to the Romans, as the Albis, meaning “river” or “river bed.” Elbe is the Germanic translation. In the Middle Ages, the Elbe formed the eastern border of Charlemagne’s empire. In the final days of World War II, Nazi Germany was caught between the armies of the western Allies and the Soviet Union; these two forces linked up on the 25th of April near Torgau on the Elbe, and the event was marked as “Elbe Day.” After the war, the Elbe formed part of the border between East and West Germany.
The Elbe provides a trade route as far inland as Prague, and is linked by canals to Berlin, the industrial areas of Germany and to the Baltic Sea. A voyage on the Elbe includes stops at Dresden, Meissen, Torgau, Wittenberg, Dessau and Magdeburg, and features the dramatic rock formations of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. A biosphere reserve region of the river provides an important wetlands habitat for hundreds of bird, fish and amphibian species and unique plant life, and the river supports several wine-producing areas.