Kočevski Rog - the name describes over 500 square kilometres of hilly cars area situated between Kočevje - Ribnica valley, Suha krajina, Novo mesto basin and Bela krajina. Due to its impassability, deep forests and harsher clime it was not settled before the 14th century when it was colonised by settlers of German nationality. At the beginning of the 2nd World War, after attack on Yugoslavia in 1941, this area was occupied by Italy and during the winter 1941/42 all Germans of Kočevje area were relocated to lower Posavje region, (which was under German occupation), into the homes of over 36.000 previously deported Slovenians. Over 40 Rog villages and settlements remained empty after this German emigration.