Have you ever traced the path of a river? The Weiße Schöps whispers a story through the heart of Görlitz. It’s a story of shifting landscapes and tenacious survival. Right here before us is where the Weiße Schöps makes its presence known.
The Weiße Schöps isn’t just a river. It’s the lifeblood of the region. This seemingly unassuming stream is the namesake of the municipality Schöpstal. Its Upper Sorbian name Běły Šepc is equally evocative. Imagine the generations who relied on its waters for survival. Think of the millers who harnessed its power.
The Weiße Schöps begins its journey in the north of the Großer Nonnenwald. It springs to life south-southwest of Deutsch-Paulsdorf. This is not just any forest. It is a vast wooded area west-southwest of Görlitz. The Weiße Schöps flows mainly northwest. It meanders between the Lausitzer Neiße to the east and the Spree to the west. Starting as a small meadow brook it gradually grows.
The Weiße Schöps flows westward towards Görlitz. It passes west of the city. It continues through the municipality of Schöpstal. This is the place where the river’s name truly takes hold. The stream then flows northward. It passes through Kodersdorf Horka and Hähnichen. The river finally bends westward. A right tributary the Schwarzgraben joins the Weiße Schöps. Near Rietschen the Raklitza also feeds into it.
Until 2014 the Weiße Schöps was completely canalized. It flowed along the northern edge of the Reichwalde open-cast mine. The mine’s purified water fed into the river. The Weiße Schöps then flowed into the Schwarze Schöps. It entered the Schwarze Schöps between Kringelsdorf and Boxberg. But the needs of the expanding mine forced a change.
Between 2011 and 2014 the river’s course was rerouted. This was to allow for the northeastern expansion of the Reichwalde open-cast mine. The new course now takes the Weiße Schöps south of the mine. Parts of the river have been restored to a more natural state. The Weiße Schöps now meets the Schwarze Schöps slightly south of its original mouth.
This wasn’t just a simple engineering feat. It was a testament to the enduring relationship between people and nature. This is the enduring legacy of the Weiße Schöps a river that has adapted changed yet continues to flow. It flows through the very heart of history. Look closely at the Weiße Schöps. It’s more than just water. It’s a living testament to the tenacity of nature and the spirit of Görlitz.