On September 13, 1908, the Slovenian national defence organization, the St. Cyril and Methodius Society, convened its annual general meeting in Ptuj – a town considered by the Germans to be a vital stronghold of Germandom in the Slovenian lands. The convocation of the assembly triggered a fierce backlash from German nationalists. Anti–Slovenian demonstrations erupted, rapidly escalating into physical violence between members of both nations. Deep outrage over the violence in Ptuj and bitter mutual accusations filled the columns of both the Slovenian and German press. The repercussions soon manifested in the form of massive demonstrations in Ljubljana, which represented the pinnacle of strained national relations in the Slovenian lands prior to the outbreak of the First World War, as well as in fervent calls for the economic boycott movement known as “Each to their own!” (Svoji k svojim!).
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