10th October 1920

There was a candle light parade last night in Bleiburg, as it was probably held in all of Carinthia.
Carinthians celebrated the outcome of a plebiscite held on the 10th October 1920.
From the end of 1918 to October 1919 Carinthian troops fought against Slovenian aggressors who attempted to forcefully integrate Carinthia into the newly formed Slovenian State.
On the instructions of the U.S. president the American officer, Sherman Miles, travelled through Styria and Carinthia and found that a sizable majority of German speaking population lived in these areas. He therefore recommended that a plebiscite must be held to determine the borders between Austria and Slovenia.
This vote was held on the 10th day of October of 1920 and 22,025 voters opted for Carinthia to remain part of Austria, while 15,278 votes were in favour of Carinthia becoming a part of Slovenia.
It appears that many Carinthians with Slovenian roots and speaking Slovenian as their mother tongue voted to remain part of Austria.
Unfortunately a small minority of Carinthians have not forgotten, nor forgiven the Slovenians, and a dislike, if not to say hatred exists in some circles to this day.

The flag of the Province of Carinthia

This most famous picture shows 

Carinthians in the process of voting.

Carinthian Defence Forces

The Women's Choir sings patriotic songs

and finally the Marching Band plays: 

"Ich hatt' einen Kameraden!"

(once I had a comrade)

"They died for their country."
says the inscription on this war memorial.