Pöbelbach
The Pöbelbach is a left tributary of the Weißeritz. It is located in the district of Saxon Switzerland-Eastern Ore Mountains, Saxony. The river flows into the Red Weißeritz in Schmiedeberg.
Course
The Pöbelbach originates in a moorland forest area between Pöbelknochen and the western slope of the Kahleberg on the municipal territory of Altenberg. A part of its source water is diverted into the Neugraben, a source stream of the Red Weißeritz.The upper course of the stream has deeply carved into the contact zone between Erzgebirgsgneiss and Schellerhauer granite, creating a steep-walled valley. In its further course, the Pöbelbach forms the Pöbeltal, where, in the early 20th century, the Pöbeltal Railway was planned. The stream flows from the left into the Red Weißeritz at Schmiedeberg. From the locality of Oberpöbel, a road runs downstream to Schmiedeberg.
Name
The origin of the name is difficult to interpret. It is assumed that it is derived from a Slavic place name and refers to the word “popel”, which may be connected to a former potash production process that involved burning wood.The Pöbelbach is the namesake for the Dippoldiswalde districts of Oberpöbel and Niederpöbel, as well as the mountain Pöbelknochen in the stream's source area. Former mills in the Pöbelbach valley were the Putzmühle and Schichtmühle in Oberpöbel.