▁improved ▁significantly ▁in ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁gain ▁better ▁diplom atic ▁relations ▁with ▁Naz i ▁Germany . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁and ▁after math ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁Lower ▁St y ria , ▁the ▁pre domin antly ▁Y ug oslav ▁part ▁of ▁St y ria , ▁was ▁an nex ed ▁by ▁Naz i ▁Germany . ▁German ▁troops ▁march ed ▁into ▁the ▁town ▁at ▁ 9 ▁pm ▁on ▁ 8 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 6 ▁April ▁Adolf ▁Hitler , ▁who ▁encourag ed ▁his ▁follow ers ▁to ▁" make ▁this ▁land ▁German ▁again ", ▁visited ▁Mar ib or ▁and ▁a ▁grand ▁reception ▁was ▁organ ised ▁in ▁the ▁city ▁castle ▁by ▁the ▁local ▁Germ ans . ▁Im medi ately ▁after ▁the ▁occupation , ▁Naz i ▁Germany ▁began ▁mass ▁exp uls ions ▁of ▁Sloven es ▁to ▁the ▁Independent ▁State ▁of ▁Cro atia , ▁Ser bia , ▁and ▁later ▁to ▁the ▁concentration ▁and ▁work ▁cam ps ▁in ▁Germany . ▁The ▁Naz i ▁goal ▁was ▁to ▁re - G erman ize ▁the ▁population ▁of ▁Lower ▁St y ria ▁after ▁the ▁war . ▁Many ▁Sloven e ▁patri ots ▁were ▁taken ▁host age ▁and ▁some ▁are ▁believed ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁shot ▁later ▁in ▁the ▁pr isons ▁of ▁Mar ib or ▁and ▁Gra z . ▁This ▁led ▁to ▁organ ised ▁resistance ▁by ▁part is ans .. ▁▁ ▁Mar ib or ▁was ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁a ▁German ▁prisoner - of - war ▁camp ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 1 - 4 5 ▁for ▁many