Greiz is a town in Thuringia, and it is the capital of the district of Greiz. Greiz is situated in eastern Thuringia on the river Weiße Elster.As with other nearby settlements, the place name (originally Grouts) is of Slavic origin and means Gradec. It was first mentioned in 1209. The prime location of Greiz at the river Weiße Elster and the stream Göltzsch made it a fast-growing town. It kept expanding during the last 1000 years.