▁the ▁Aust rian ▁Su cc ession ▁between ▁King ▁Frederick ▁II ▁of ▁Pr uss ia ▁( the ▁Great ) ▁and ▁the ▁H abs burg ▁em press ▁Maria ▁Ther esa ▁of ▁Austria , ▁the ▁greatest ▁part ▁of ▁S iles ia , ▁including ▁W od z is ław , ▁was ▁an nex ed ▁by ▁the ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁Pr uss ia ▁in ▁ 1 7 4 0 , ▁which ▁Austria ▁eventually ▁recognized ▁in ▁ 1 7 6 3 . ▁In ▁ 1 8 1 5 ▁the ▁city ▁became ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Pr uss ian ▁Province ▁of ▁S iles ia . ▁Co al ▁min ing ▁gained ▁importance ▁for ▁W od z is ław ' s ▁economy ▁as ▁early ▁as ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century . ▁▁ 2 0 th ▁century ▁After ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁Polish ▁state hood ▁was ▁restored . ▁Am id st ▁an ▁atmosphere ▁of ▁eth nic ▁un rest , ▁a ▁refer endum ▁was ▁organized ▁to ▁determine ▁the ▁future ▁national ▁affili ation ▁of ▁Upper ▁S iles ia . ▁Although ▁an ▁overall ▁majority ▁had ▁opt ed ▁for ▁Germany , ▁the ▁area ▁was ▁divided ▁in ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁satisfy ▁both ▁parties . ▁Although ▁both ▁parties ▁considered ▁the ▁territory ▁they ▁were ▁assigned ▁ins u fficient , ▁the ▁division ▁was ▁just ified ▁in so far ▁as ▁in ▁the ▁German ▁and ▁Polish ▁parts ▁a ▁majority ▁had ▁voted ▁in ▁favour ▁of ▁the ▁respective ▁nation . ▁ ▁The ▁lowest ▁amount ▁of ▁pro - G erman ▁votes ▁( ne ver theless ▁still ▁ 4