ib or ▁for ▁German ▁Austria . ▁They ▁organ ised ▁a ▁military ▁unit ▁called ▁the ▁Green ▁Guard ▁( Sch utz wehr ), ▁and ▁approximately ▁ 4 0 0 ▁well - ar med ▁soldiers ▁of ▁this ▁unit ▁opposed ▁the ▁pro - S lo ven ian ▁and ▁pro - Y ug oslav ▁Major ▁Ma ister . ▁Sloven ian ▁troops ▁surprised ▁and ▁dis ar med ▁the ▁Green ▁Guard ▁early ▁in ▁the ▁morning ▁of ▁ 2 3 ▁November . ▁There after , ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁threat ▁to ▁the ▁authority ▁of ▁Rudolf ▁Ma ister ▁in ▁the ▁city . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 7 ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁Aust rian ▁Germ ans ▁gathered ▁to ▁await ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁peace ▁deleg ation ▁at ▁the ▁city ' s ▁market place ▁were ▁fired ▁upon ▁by ▁Sloven ian ▁troops , ▁who ▁apparently ▁fe ared ▁the ▁thousands ▁of ▁eth nic ▁German ▁citizens . ▁N ine ▁citizens ▁were ▁killed ▁and ▁some ▁eigh teen ▁were ▁seriously ▁wounded ; ▁who ▁had ▁actually ▁ordered ▁the ▁shooting ▁has ▁never ▁been ▁une qu iv oc ally ▁established . ▁German ▁sources ▁accused ▁Ma ister ' s ▁troops ▁of ▁shooting ▁without ▁cause . ▁In ▁turn ▁Sloven e ▁witness es ▁such ▁as ▁M aks ▁P oh ar ▁claimed ▁that ▁the ▁Aust rian ▁Germ ans ▁attacked ▁the ▁Sloven ian ▁soldiers ▁guard ing ▁the ▁Mar ib or ▁city ▁hall . ▁Reg ard less ▁of ▁who ▁was ▁responsible , ▁the ▁Aust rian ▁German ▁vict ims ▁all ▁had ▁been ▁without ▁any ▁arms . ▁The ▁German - language ▁media ▁called ▁the ▁incident ▁Mar burg ' s