Würm

Würm commonly refers to two related uses in geography and geology. In geology, the Würm glaciation, or Würm Ice Age, was the last major glacial period in the Alpine region during the Late Pleistocene. It is named after the Würm River valley in Bavaria where evidence for the period was studied. The Würm lasted roughly from 115,000 to 11,700 years ago and produced extensive alpine glaciation, leaving prominent landforms such as moraines, outwash plains, and glacial lakes that shaped the surrounding landscape. The Würm stage is used in European Quaternary chronology to denote this late Pleistocene phase.

In addition, Würm is the name of a small river in Bavaria, Germany. It runs through the Würmtal, a valley near Munich, and is part of the Isar river basin. The river and its valley are notable in local geography and history, with settlements along its course and its role in regional drainage and ecological networks.

The term Würm thus appears in both geological and hydrological contexts in southern Germany, sharing a common toponymic origin tied to the Würm River valley.