The German public announcement of the destruction of the village and the sending of women and children to concentration camps, proclaimed this was because the villagers did not report the Partisans’ presence,  which was clearly a lie, since the villagers reported the Partisans’ presence, with the approval of the Partisans, so they would not be held responsible. After listing the reprisals taken, the German announcement finished with a threat to all the residents of Upper Carniola: "Whoever is against us will be executed."