Wupper

Wupper
Wupper
Country	Germany
Basin
Main source	Sauerland 441 m (1,447 ft)
River mouth	Rhine 51°02′43″N 6°56′27″E / 51.04528°N 6.94083°E / 51.04528; 6.94083 (Mouth of Wupper)Coordinates: 51°02′43″N 6°56′27″E / 51.04528°N 6.94083°E / 51.04528; 6.94083 (Mouth of Wupper)
Basin size	827 km2 (319 sq mi)
Physical characteristics
Length	113 km (70 mi)
Discharge	Average rate: 17 m3/s (600 cu ft/s)[1]

The Wupper is a right tributary of the River Rhine in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Rising near Marienheide in western Sauerland it runs through the mountainous region of the Bergisches Land in Berg County and enters the Rhine at Leverkusen, south of Düsseldorf. Its upper course is called the Wipper.

Müngsten Bridge between Remscheid and Solingen.

On its course of about 113 km, the Wupper passes through the city of Wuppertal where the suspension railway runs for 10 kilometres above the river. According to a popular local story, on 21 July 1950 a young elephant named Tuffi jumped into the Wupper from the railway.

It is crossed by the highest railway bridge in Germany near Müngsten, between Remscheid and Solingen. A few kilometers further down, Burg Castle is located on a hill overlooking the river.

Hydropower

From the 15th century, the Wupper and its numerous streams gave birth to hundreds of workshops, mills and factories on their banks. Originally water was used for dying, bleaching and washing canvas and cloth,^[2] later it was used to power machines or transport waste.

The Wupper thus facilitated the early industrial expansion of Wuppertal (German for "Wupper Valley") during the 18th, 19th and early 20th century. The Wupper Valley was one of world's first industrialized regions and empowered inter alia the Ruhrgebiet as a coal-mining region.

The suspension railway over the Wupper in Wuppertal.

Other

• The Wupper is cited in the German sayings: "Über die Wupper gehen", literally "To go over the Wupper", metaphorically meaning "going bankrupt", "going into jail" or "going to die".^[3]
• Else Lasker-Schüler wrote a drama entitled Die Wupper.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wupper.

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Wupper.

Tributaries of the Rhine
Left (western)	Vorderrhein Aua Russein Schmuèr Alpine Rhine Vorderrhein Tamina Rietaach Alter Rhein Freibach Lake Constance Goldach High Rhine Thur Töss Glatt Aare Sissle Ergolz Birs Birsig Upper Rhine Ill Moder Sauer Lauter Spiegelbach Queich Speyerbach Rehbach Isenach Eckbach Eisbach Pfrimm Selz Middle Rhine Nahe Moselle Nette Brohlbach Ahr Lower Rhine Erft
Right (eastern)	Vorderrhein Rein da Tuma Rein da Curnera Rein da Medel Rein da Sumvitg Glogn Rabiusa Hinterrhein Ragn da Ferrera Albula/Alvra Alpine Rhine Hinterrhein Plessur Landquart Mülbach Ill Frutz Lake Constance Dornbirner Ach Bregenzer Ach Leiblach Schussen Rotach Brunnisaach Lipbach Seefelder Aach Stockacher Aach Radolfzeller Aach High Rhine Biber Wutach Alb Murg Wehra Upper Rhine Wiese Elz Kinzig Rench Acher Murg Alb Pfinz Saalbach Kraichbach Leimbach Neckar Weschnitz Modau Main Middle Rhine Wisper Lahn Wied Lower Rhine Sieg Wupper Düssel Ruhr Emscher Lippe IJssel Oude IJssel/Issel Berkel Schipbeek