The Apenke is a left tributary of the Söse

Söse

The Söse is a right tributary of the river Rhume, 38 kilometres long, in Lower Saxony, Germany.- Geography :The river rises on the plateau of Auf dem Acker in the district of Osterode in the southwestern part of the Harz Mountains in Germany...

 in Osterode

Osterode am Harz

For the town in East Prussia formerly called Osterode, see Ostróda.Osterode am Harz often simply called Osterode, is a town in south-eastern Niedersachsen on the south-western edge of the Harz mountains. It is the seat of government of the district of Osterode. The town is twinned with Scarborough,...

 in the Harz Mountains in the German state of Lower Saxony

Lower Saxony

Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...

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Course

The Apenke rises south of the Feenhöhe heights in the Bärengarten. It flows initially parallel to the Eipenke

Eipenke

The Eipenke is a left tributary of the River Söse near Osterode in the Harz Mountains in the German state of Lower Saxony.- Course :The Eipenke rises south of the Söse Reservoir and flows below the hill known as the Sösenkopf in a western direction. It discharges into the Söse in the Osterode...

 stream in a southwesterly direction. Near Augustental it is joined by more water draining from the Teufelsbäder

Teufelsbäder

The Teufelsbäder is the name of a moor landscape near Osterode am Harz in the Harz Mountains of central Germany. It lies within the nature reserve of the same name southeast of Augustental on the B 243 federal road.- Description :...

 moor. For the rest of its course the Apenke flows northwest and feeds the ponds of Kaiserteich and Pferdeteich. In the Osterode town district of Petershütte it empties into the Söse

Söse

The Söse is a right tributary of the river Rhume, 38 kilometres long, in Lower Saxony, Germany.- Geography :The river rises on the plateau of Auf dem Acker in the district of Osterode in the southwestern part of the Harz Mountains in Germany...

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History

The water power of the Apenke used to be used to drive the various water wheels for gypsum, corn and saw mills. In 1991, the Apenke was polluted in Osterode by 8 m³ of diesel fuel.

The following is a translation of the verses (rhyming in the original German) written by Manfred Kleiner about the Apenke:

Pure and clear all silvery bright,
is the Apenke's little spring
on the Harz's western rim,
where I found the little beck's source.
There, where the stream begins its sally,
where the water runs down the valley,
under trees and hidden well
still untainted,
the Apenke murmurs quietly,
wanting to reach Osterode.
Happy to escape the dark forest
it helps to refresh the meadows
and fills along its way
pond after pond with water.
This habitat for fish
also helps to refresh the sheep
and is, as is clear to anyone,
the home of a huge flock of ducks.
Half hidden, to the side of paths
it flows gently through the terrain,
its water keeping gardens looked after,
it only has to be nimbly scooped up.
At the Apenke's mouth at last
has the Apenke reached its end,
it gives its water without complaining
to the millstream and its continuation.