Editing Weser

{{short description|River in Germany}}
{{Other uses}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2021}}
{{Infobox river
| name               = Weser
| name_other         = Werser ([[Low German]])
| name_etymology     = ''*waisōn'', [[Proto-Germanic language|Proto-Germanic]], meaning "flow" or "ooze"
| image              = Weser2.JPG
| image_size         = 300
| image_caption      = The Weser near Bad Oeynhausen
| map                = Weser Einzugsgebiet.png
| map_caption        = Watershed of the Weser
| pushpin_map        = Germany
| pushpin_map_size   = 
| pushpin_map_caption = European context: mouth within Germany.
| mapframe           = yes
| mapframe-zoom      = 5
| subdivision_type1  = Country
| subdivision_name1  = [[Germany]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[States of Germany|States]]
| subdivision_name2  = {{hlist|[[Bremen (state)|Bremen]]|[[Lower Saxony]]|[[North Rhine-Westphalia]]|[[Thuringia]]|[[Hesse]]}}
| subdivision_type5  = Cities
| subdivision_name5  = {{hlist|[[Bremerhaven]]|[[Bremen]]|[[Minden]]|[[Hamelin]]|[[Hann. Münden]]|[[Kassel]]|[[Fulda (river)|Fulda]]}}
| length             = {{convert|452|km|mi|abbr=on}} [{{convert|744|km|mi|abbr=on}} if combined with the Werra]
| width_min          = 
| width_avg          = 
| width_max          = 
| depth_min          = 
| depth_avg          = 
| depth_max          = 
| discharge1_location= 
| discharge1_min     = 
| discharge1_avg     = {{convert|327|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
| discharge1_max     = 
| source1            = 
| source1_location   = Confluence of the [[Fulda (river)|Fulda]] and [[Werra]] Rivers in [[Hann. Münden]]
| source1_coordinates= {{coord|51|25|17|N|9|38|53|E|display=inline}}
| source1_elevation  = {{convert|116|m|abbr=on}}
| mouth              = [[Wadden Sea]] of the [[North Sea]]
| mouth_location     = Between [[Bremerhaven]] and [[Nordenham]]
| mouth_coordinates  = {{coord|53|32|8|N|8|33|56|E|display=inline,title}}
| mouth_elevation    = {{convert|0|m|abbr=on}}
| river_system       = Weser basin
| basin_size         = {{convert|46306|km2|abbr=on}}
| tributaries_left   = [[Diemel]], [[Emmer]], [[Werre]], [[Große Aue]], [[Hunte]]
| tributaries_right  = [[Aller (Germany)|Aller]], [[Lesum]]
| extra = 
}}
[[File:Orthographic projection centred over Bremen and the Weser watershed.png|thumb|50px]]

The '''Weser''' ({{IPA|de|ˈveːzɐ|pron|de-Weser.ogg}}) is a [[river]] of [[Lower Saxony]] in north-west [[Germany]]. It begins at [[Hann. Münden|Hannoversch Münden]] through the [[confluence]] of the [[Werra]] and [[Fulda (river)|Fulda]]. It passes through the [[Hanseatic League|Hanseatic]] city of [[Bremen]]. Its mouth is {{convert|50|km|mi|abbr=on}} further north against the ports of [[Bremerhaven]] and [[Nordenham]]. The latter is on the [[Butjadingen|Butjadingen Peninsula]]. It then merges into the [[North Sea]] via two highly [[Saline water|saline]], [[Estuary|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''),{{cn|date=April 2023}} is {{convert|744|km|mi|abbr=on}} long and thus, the longest river entirely situated within Germany (the [[Main (river)|Main]], however, is the longest if the Weser-Werra are considered separate). The Weser itself is {{convert|452|km|mi|abbr=on}} long. The Werra rises in [[Thuringia]], the [[States of Germany|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 [[isogloss|linguistic border]] between [[Central German|Central]] and [[Low German]], passing through Hannoversch Münden.

The name likely derives from the Old Germanic ''*waisōn'' "flow, ooze".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Orel |first=Vladimir |url=https://archive.org/stream/Orel-AHandbookOfGermanicEtymology/2003OrelV.-AHandbookOfGermanicEtymology#page/n479/mode/1up |title=A Handbook of Germanic Etymology |publisher=Koninklijke Brill NV |year=2003 |isbn=9789004128750 |location=Netherlands |pages=441 |language=en |author-link=Vladimir Orel}}</ref>{{failed verification|date=December 2024|reason=Orel doesn't mention the Weser in his entry for *waisōn}} It is cognate with the [[River Wear|Wear]] in England and [[Vistula]] (Polish Wisła, German Weichsel) in Poland, all of which are derived from the [[Proto-Indo-European language|Proto-Indo-European]] root [[wiktionary:Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/weys-|*''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 (gorge)|Porta Westfalica]] between two high hill ranges, the [[Wiehengebirge|⁣⁣Wiehengebirge⁣⁣]] in the west and the [[Weserbergland]] in the east.

Between [[Minden]] and the North Sea, humans have [[river engineering|largely canalised the river]] up to a limit of 1,200-ton ships. Eight hydroelectric dams stand at the ends of adjacent weir weirstreams that make up the river. The navigation is linked west to the [[Dortmund–Ems Canal]] via the [[Coastal Canal]]. It is linked east at [[Bremerhaven]] to the [[Elbe River|Elbe]].

A large reservoir, the [[Edersee]], on the [[Eder (Fulda)|Eder]], the main tributary of the Fulda, is used to allow enough water depth for shipping year-round. The dam, built in 1914, was [[Operation Chastise|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 [[hydroelectricity|sluices provide electricity]].
[[File:AlteWeser 1964.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Alte Weser Lighthouse]]]]
<gallery widths="180" heights="135">
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
</gallery>

The Weser enters the North Sea in the southernmost part of the [[German Bight]]. In the sea it splits into two arms &ndash;the riverbed at the end of the [[Quaternary glaciation|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 (city)|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 (Germany)|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"
[[File:Weser basin topo.png|thumb|509px|Weser and its tributaries in blue, other rivers in grey]]
'''List:'''
* km 19, right: [[Geeste (river)|Geeste]] (in Bremerhaven), 42.5&nbsp;km, 338&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
* km 33, right: [[Lune (Weser)|Lune]], 43&nbsp;km, 383&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
* km 35.9, right: [[Drepte]], 37.6&nbsp;km, 101&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
* km 52.8, left: [[Hunte]], 189&nbsp;km, 2.785&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
** II: km 125.7: Lake [[Dümmer]]
* km 67.6, right: [[Lesum]], 9.9 or 131.5, 2,188&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
** II: km 9.9, right [[Hamme (river)|Hamme]], 48.5&nbsp;km, 549&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
**↑ main stream: [[Wümme]], 118 / 120, 1,585&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
* km 72.5, left: [[Ochtum]], 25.6 or 45&nbsp;km, 917&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
** II: km 25.6: left [[Hache (Ochtum)|Hache]], 33&nbsp;km, 118&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
* km 125.6, right: [[Aller (Germany)|Aller]], 260&nbsp;km, 15,744&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
** II: km 63.6, left: [[Leine]], 278&nbsp;km, 5,617&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, stronger than river Aller above
*** III: km 112.7, right: [[Innerste]], 99.7&nbsp;km, 1,264&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
*** III: km 192.8, right: [[Rhume]], 44&nbsp;km, 1,193&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, stronger than river Leine above
*** IV: km 15.6, right: [[Oder (Harz)|Oder]], 56&nbsp;km, 385&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, headwater of the strongest waterway of Aller system
** II: km 97.3, right: [[Örtze]], 62 / 70&nbsp;km, 760&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
** II: km 140.7, left: [[Oker]], 218&nbsp;km, 1822&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, 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&nbsp;km, 1,522&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
* km 261.3, left: [[Werre]], 71.9&nbsp;km, 1485&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
** II: km 12.7, left: [[Else (Werre)|Else]], 34.6&nbsp;km, 416&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, branch of the [[Hase]], an affluent of [[Ems (river)|Ems]]
* km 287.7, left: [[Exter (Weser)|Exter]], 26.1&nbsp;km, 109&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
* km 323.3, left: [[Emmer (Weser)|Emmer]], 61.8&nbsp;km, 535&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
* km 387.5, left: [[Nethe]], 50.4&nbsp;km, 460&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
* km 406.5, left: [[Diemel]], 110.5&nbsp;km, 1,762&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
* km 451.5, left: [[Fulda (river)|Fulda]], 220.4&nbsp;km, 6.947&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
:: II: km 45.3, left: [[Eder (Fulda)|Eder]], 176.1&nbsp;km, 3,361 km<sup>2</sup>, headwater of the strongest waterway of Weser system
::: III: km 17.1, left: [[Schwalm (Eder)|Schwalm]], 97.1&nbsp;km, 1.299 km<sup>2</sup>
::: ↑ III: km 49.4–70.5: [[Edersee]] reservoir
:: II: 120.1, right: [[Haune]], 66.5&nbsp;km, 500 km<sup>2</sup>
* ↑ main stream above km 451.5: [[Werra]], 299.6&nbsp;km, 5.497&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
* km 566.5, right: [[Hörsel]], 55.2 or 64.3, 784&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
** km 9.8, right: [[Nesse (Hörsel)|Nesse]], 54.5&nbsp;km, 426&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
* km 513.1, left: [[Ulster River|Ulster]], 57.2&nbsp;km, 421&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
* km 604.4, right: [[Schleuse (river)|Schleuse]], 34.2&nbsp;km, 283&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>

==Notable towns==
Main towns along the Weser are (from the head of the river to its mouth): [[Hann. Münden]], [[Beverungen]], [[Hoexter|Höxter]], [[Holzminden]], [[Bodenwerder]], [[Hamelin]], [[Hessisch Oldendorf]], [[Rinteln]], [[Vlotho]], [[Bad Oeynhausen]], [[Porta Westfalica]], [[Minden]], [[Petershagen]], [[Nienburg, Lower Saxony|Nienburg]], [[Achim]], [[Bremen]], [[Brake (Unterweser)|Brake]], [[Nordenham]], and [[Bremerhaven]].

==Popular culture==
The river features in the legend and folk tale the [[Pied Piper of Hamelin]].

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

===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, {{ISSN|0068-0907}}.
* Bremer Archäologische Blätter, Beiheft 3/2004 zur gleichnamigen Ausstellung im Focke-Museum: ''Gefundene Vergangenheit'', Archäologie des Mittelalters in Bremen,  Der Landesarchäologe Bremen, {{ISBN|3-7749-3233-6}}. (wg.Geschichte des [[Balge (Arm der Weser)|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. {{ISSN|0452-7739}}

=== Description ===
{{NIE Poster}}
* 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. {{ISBN|3-88132-350-3}}.

{{Rivers of Germany}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Weser| ]]
[[Category:Weser basin| ]]
[[Category:Rivers of Lower Saxony]]
[[Category:Rivers of Bremen (state)]]
[[Category:Bodies of water of the North Sea]]
[[Category:Federal waterways in Germany]]
[[Category:Rivers of Germany]]
[[Category:Pied Piper of Hamelin]]