the white elster (, ) is a long river in central europe, right tributary of the saale. its source is in the westernmost part of the czech republic, near aš. after a few kilometres, it flows into eastern germany where it cuts through the vogtland in (according to the "encyclopædia britannica") a "deep and picturesque valley". in germany it flows through the states of saxony, thuringia and saxony-anhalt. the white elster flows through the cities of plauen, greiz, gera, zeitz, pegau and leipzig, and into the river saale in halle.