Wölpe is a river 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 ...

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 betwe ...

. It is about long and a left tributary of the Alpe. The Wölpe has its source in a depression southeast of , a village in the borough of Nienburg and flows towards the northeast. In front of Rethem the ''Weiße Graben'' ("White Ditch") links the Wölpe with the Alpe. The ''Alpe-Wolpe-Umfluter'' then discharges into the Aller near Wohlendorf in the borough of

Rethem Rethem () is a town in the Heidekreis in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the river Aller, approx. 25 km southwest of Bad Fallingbostel, and 18 km southeast of Verden. The town was the scene of heavy fighting over the period 10� ...

. The waterway has been considerably straightened. It flows through woods, grassland and cultivated fields. According to the 2000 Water Quality Chart issued by the NLWKN it is critically polluted throughout ( quality class II−III).NLWKN Water Quality Chart
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History

At about from the source near the Nienburg village of Erichshagen-Wölpe the Wölpe flows by the mound on which the former castle of the counts of Wölpe stood. During the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

the waterway was widened into a moat for the security of the fortified position and flowed around the castle built in the 12th century. After the destruction of the site in the 17th century the castle moat and the Wölpe were filled with rubble. About further on near

Heemsen Heemsen is a municipality in the district of Nienburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approximately 8 km northeast of Nienburg, and 25 km south of Verden. Heemsen is part of the ''Samtgemeinde A ''Samtgemeinde'' (; plu ...

the Wölpe flows into the wood by the site of the 9th century castle. Here, too, the stream was probably used as part of the defences.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wolpe Rivers of Lower Saxony Rivers of Germany

History

See also

References