Hunger stone in Děčín, Hunger stone in the Elbe River in Děčín, Czech Republic.

The Hunger Stone in Děčín is a large rock in the Elbe River with multiple carved inscriptions. These markings record water levels from different drought periods spanning hundreds of years.

The oldest readable record carved into the rock dates from 1616. The stone also bears later inscriptions, including the German warning 'Wenn du mich siehst, dann weine' and a Czech rhyme advising farmers to irrigate when drought comes. After the Vltava dams were built, the rock emerged far more often than before, and efforts to build a water step below Děčín date back to 1653.

The stone carries a German inscription urging 'If you see me, weep', marking times of hardship for people living along the river. This warning reflects the fear that generations felt when water levels dropped.

The rock lies in the Elbe riverbed by the left bank, beneath Tyršův most, and shows above the surface at low water. Since the Vltava dams were built after 1926 it has appeared on average 126 days per hydrological year. The bank beside it was walled around 1911 and the rock was cleaned and its access improved in 1994.

The Czech inscription "Neplač holka, nenaříkej, když je sucho, pole stříkej" (Don't cry, girl, don't lament; when it's dry, spray the fields) is the younger of the two best-known carvings, paired with the German "Wenn du mich siehst, dann weine". It gives farming advice instead of a warning.