Elbe-Elster is a Kreis (district) in the southern part of Brandenburg, Germany. Neighboring districts are Teltow-Fläming, Dahme-Spreewald, Oberspreewald-Lausitz, Meißen, Nordsachsen and Wittenberg. The district has a partnership with the Märkischer Kreis.
History The district was established in 1993 by merging the former districts (Kreise) of Finsterwalde, Bad Liebenwerda and Herzberg.
Geography The district is named after two rivers - the Elbe river forms the western border with Saxony, the Black Elster (Schwarze Elster) is a tributary of the Elbe and runs through the district. The district is part of the Lusatia region. The fens along the Black Elster are a habitat of several rare animals, like common kingfishers, beavers and Eurasian otters.
Demography
Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted in 1995. The lion in the bottom left derives from the county of Meissen (see Saxony), to which the southern area of the district belonged historically. The black bars derive from the Saxony-Wittenberg county as the area around Bad Liebenwerda belonged there in the past. The red bars derive from the oldest coat of arms of Brandenburg, and the bull is the symbol for the Lower Lusatia area were the district is located.
Towns and municipalities
Amt-free townsÄmterDoberlug-Kirchhain Elsterwerda Finsterwalde Herzberg (Elster) Schönewalde Sonnewalde
Amt-free municipality Röderland1. Elsterland Heideland Rückersdorf Schilda Schönborn1 Tröbitz
2. Kleine Elster (Niederlausitz) Crinitz Lichterfeld-Schacksdorf Massen-Niederlausitz1 Sallgast
3. Plessa Gorden-Staupitz Hohenleipisch Plessa1 Schraden4. Schlieben Fichtwald Hohenbucko Kremitzaue Lebusa Schlieben1, 2
5. Schradenland Gröden1 Großthiemig Hirschfeld Merzdorf1. Liebenwerda Bad Liebenwerda1, 2 Falkenberg/Elster2 Mühlberg2 Uebigau-Wahrenbrück21seat of the Amt; 2town
References
External links
Official Website (German) Touristic website