Rur 1258963 224567320 2008-07-09T13:21:00Z Olessi 220894 Quick-adding category "Geography of North Rhine-Westphalia" (using [[WP:HOTCAT|HotCat]]) {{Otheruses4 | 1 = the Rur river | 2 = the science-fiction play | 3 = R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots)}} {{Infobox_River | river_name = Rur | image_name = Rur zwischen Monschau und Dedenborn 30-01-2005.jpg | caption = The Rur between Monschau and Dedenborn | origin = [[Hautes Fagnes]] | mouth = [[Meuse River|Meuse]] | basin_countries = [[Germany]], [[Netherlands]], [[Belgium]] | length = ±170 km | elevation = 660 m | mouth_elevation = 17 m | discharge = | watershed = 2,340 km² }} The '''Rur''' -German, in Dutch and French: '''Roer''', — not to be confused with the [[Ruhr]] — is a river in [[Belgium]], [[Germany]] and the [[Netherlands]]. It is a right tributary to the river [[Meuse River|Meuse]]. About 90% of the river is in Germany. ==Geography== The source of the Rur is in the [[Hautes Fagnes]]/Hohes Venn National Park, near the 696m high [[Signal de Botrange]] in Belgium at an altitude of 660m. South of [[Monschau]] it flows into Germany, through [[North Rhine-Westphalia]]. It flows first through the northern part of the [[Eifel]] hills. After 39km it reaches the [[Rurstausee]], the second largest artificial lake in Germany. After approx. 160km it flows into the Netherlands, and at its 170km mark it flows into the river [[Meuse River|Meuse]] in the city [[Roermond]]. Major tributaries of the river Rur are the [[Inde]] and the [[Wurm]]. Cities along the Rur are [[Monschau]], [[Heimbach]], [[Nideggen]], [[Düren]], [[Jülich]], [[Linnich]], [[Hückelhoven]], [[Heinsberg]] (all in Germany) and [[Roermond]] (Netherlands). ==Tributaries== [[Image:Indeverlauf.png|left|thumb|The Rur river]] * [[Ellebach]] * [[Inde]] * [[Kall river|Kall]] * [[Malefinkbach]] * [[Merzbach]] * [[Wurm]] * [[Olef]] * [[Urft]] ==History== The Rur represented an important front in the Allied push towards Germany at the end of the [[Second World War]]. Between 16th December 1944 and 23rd February 1945, the [[U.S. Ninth Army]] was unable to advance across the Rur because German forces controlled dams close to the river's source in the densely forested region of the Hohes Venn. This meant Axis forces could potentially blow the dams, releasing enough water to wash out an Allied assault. At the same time, the German [[Ardennes Offensive]] meant any further westward push would leave Allied forces stretched and supply lines exposed. Eventually the counteroffensive was overwhelmed and German engineers, under pressure of aerial and artillery bombardment, released the dams. As the flood waters began to subside, Allied forces crossed the Rur in rafts in the early hours of February 23rd, 1945, as part of [[Operation Grenade]]. [[Image:Rurpano.JPG|thumb|center|700px|The Rur near Hückelhoven]] ==See also== From 1795 until 1815, when Belgium, the Netherlands and parts of Germany were incorporated into [[France]], there was a [[département]] named after the river Rur, see [[Roer (département)]]. From [[Heimbach]] to [[Linnich]], the tracks of the [[Rurtalbahn]] (Rur Valley Railway) run along the river. ==External links== * [http://carol_fus.tripod.com/army_hero_john_lengyel2.html Roercrossing of the 102. Infantry Division 1944/45 documents and photos] {{coor title dms|50|58|13|N|6|16|43|E|region:DE-NW_type:landmark}} [[Category:Rivers of Belgium]] [[Category:Rivers of the Netherlands]] [[Category:Rivers of Germany]] [[Category:Meuse basin]] [[Category:Geography of North Rhine-Westphalia]] [[br:Roer (stêr)]] [[ca:Rur]] [[cs:Rour]] [[de:Rur]] [[fr:Roer (rivière)]] [[lb:Roer (Floss)]] [[li:Roer]] [[nl:Roer (rivier)]] [[nn:Roer]] [[pl:Rur]] [[ksh:Rur]] [[ro:Rur]] [[ru:Рур (приток Мааса)]] [[sv:Rur]]