 German and Bavarian dialects have been autochthonous since present-day Slovenia came under the rule of Bavaria in the 8th century.Whereas many immigrants from German-speaking areas adopted Slovene over the centuries, others retained their language.Until the 20th century, the most numerous German-speaking communities were found in the urban centers of Lower Styria, in the Gottschee County in southern Slovenia and in the villages around Apače (Apaško polje) along the Mura river.