▁and ▁only ▁ 6 , 1 5 1 ▁eth nic ▁Sloven es . ▁The ▁surrounding ▁area ▁however ▁was ▁populated ▁almost ▁entirely ▁by ▁Sloven es , ▁although ▁many ▁Aust rian ▁Germ ans ▁lived ▁in ▁smaller ▁towns ▁like ▁P t uj . ▁ ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁many ▁Sloven es ▁in ▁the ▁Car inth ia ▁and ▁St y ria ▁were ▁det ained ▁on ▁susp icion ▁of ▁being ▁enemies ▁of ▁the ▁Aust rian ▁Empire . ▁This ▁led ▁to ▁dist rust ▁between ▁Aust rian ▁Germ ans ▁and ▁Sloven es . ▁After ▁the ▁collapse ▁of ▁the ▁Aust rian - H ung arian ▁Empire ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁Mar ib or ▁was ▁claimed ▁by ▁both ▁the ▁State ▁of ▁Sloven es , ▁Cro ats ▁and ▁Ser bs ▁and ▁German ▁Austria . ▁On ▁ 1 ▁November ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁a ▁meeting ▁was ▁held ▁by ▁Colonel ▁Anton ▁Hol ik ▁in ▁the ▁Mel je ▁bar ra cks , ▁where ▁it ▁was ▁decided ▁that ▁the ▁German - spe aking ▁city ▁should ▁be ▁part ▁of ▁German ▁Austria . ▁Eth nic ▁Sloven e ▁Major ▁Rudolf ▁Ma ister , ▁who ▁was ▁present ▁at ▁the ▁meeting , ▁den ounced ▁the ▁decision ▁and ▁organ ised ▁Sloven ian ▁military ▁units ▁that ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁se ize ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁All ▁Aust rian ▁officers ▁and ▁soldiers ▁were ▁dis ar med ▁and ▁dem obil ised ▁to ▁the ▁new ▁state ▁of ▁German ▁Austria . ▁The ▁city ▁council ▁then ▁held ▁a ▁secret ▁meeting , ▁where ▁it ▁was ▁decided ▁to ▁do ▁whatever ▁possible ▁to ▁reg ain ▁Mar