PILA

German Schneidemhl, city, capital of Pila wojewdztwo (province), west central Poland, on the Gwda River. Its economic growth has been steady since World War II. Industries include lumber mills, railroad workshops, and potato-processing facilities. The city lies on the BerlinGdansk (Danzig) rail line. First chronicled in the 15th century, Pila received town rights in 1512. It passed to Prussia in 1772 and was returned to Poland in 1945. About 80 percent of Pila was destroyed during World War II. Pop. (1984 est.) 64,600.