Diplomatic Division of Slovenia during World War II and On-Site Delineation of Borders

Abstract

The article deals with occupiers’ borders in Slovenia during World War II. The occupation of the Slovene ethnic territory in 1941 resulted in fi ve different border areas and borders. Namely, the border between Germany and Hungary, between Hungary and NDH, between Germany and NDH, between Italy and Germany, and between Italy and NDH. Despite the formal annexation of the so-called Ljubljana Province to Italy, the Rapallo border remained in place, separating Littoral Slovenes from the rest. The delineation of borders by means of barbed wire fences, mine fi elds, bunkers, and watchtowers was accompanied by violence, deportations, and, frequently, escapes from one occupation zone to another. All this led to many traumas and broke off traditional patterns of migration, farming, and trade.