The Ljubljana province, which had been annexed to the Kingdom of Italy on May 3, 1943, consisted of 5 county districts. These were being governed by the Italian fascist chiefs. After the capitulation of Italy, the partisans took command almost over the entire province and abolished the enemy's civil administration. On 10 September 1943, the province of Ljubljana fell under the occupier's operation zone "The Adriatic Coastland" (Operationszone "Adriatisches Kustenland"). On October 22, the new province administration, headed by the general Leon Rupnik, started the preparations for the restoration of Novo mesto, Črnomelj and Kočevje county districts. These were reinstated after November 2, when the chiefs and office staff were sent out to each county. While the personnel of the Črnomelj county district returned to Ljubljana only a few days later, the other two districts continued officiating almost until the end of the war. However, due to the partisan movement, their functioning was limited for a great deal of time only to the location of both cities and their vicinity.