During World War II, the final operations of the German navy - involving the evacuation of troops and personnel from Istria and Trieste ahead the advancing Yugoslavs - took place here in May 1945. An estimated enemy force of 4000 landed from 26 ships of all types at the mouth of the Tagliamento River. Germans equipment included E-boats, LSTs, a small hospital ship, all types of transport, and a variety of weapons. The 21st Battalion of the New Zealand 2nd Division was outnumbered by 20 to one, but at the end, on 4 May 1945, the Germans surrendered. Lignano became an autonomous commune in 1959. Lignano lives on summertime tourism, and is home to Austrian, German, and Slovenian citizens.