SILESIA

former and present prov. into Upper and Lower Silesia; hilly in 8., where Sudetic Mts. reach extreme height of 5,260 ft.; elsewhere surface is flats drained by Oder; large area forested; Upper and Lower Silesia each has a coalfield, that in Upper being larger and more valuable; produces also zinc, iron, silver-lead, arsenic; agriculture is carried on, and sugar-beet, cereals, fruits, and oil plants are culti woolens, zinc and iron goods, paper, etc. Cap. of Lower Silesia, Breslau. Silesia was independent in the 12th cent.; afterwards came under the dominion of Bohemia, and so of Austria, by whom it was finally transferred to Pru ia in 1748, After World War, Lower Silesia remained in Pru ia; Upper Silesia by a plebiscite held on March 21, 1921 voted by a large majority to remain in Germany. In the cities, however, were large Polish majorities, and after rioting and disorders an international commi ion, appointed by the League of Nations portioned the province between Poland and Germany, giving to the former the manufacturing and the latter the agricultural districts.