Following the joint German-Soviet invasion of Poland, which started World War II in September 1939, the town was occupied by Germany until 1945 and local Poles were subjected to various crimes. On October 21, 1939, the German "Einsatzgruppe VI" carried out a public execution of 15 Poles at the main square as part of the "Intelligenzaktion". The victims were craftsmen and local officials from Krobia and farmers and landowners from nearby villages. It was one of many massacres of Poles committed by Germany on October 20-23 across the region in attempt to pacify and terrorize the Polish population. In December 1939, the first expulsion of 50 Poles (teachers, local officials and craftsmen with families) was carried out by the German police. Further expulsions were carried out in 1940. Expelled Poles were detained in transit camps in Gostyń and Łódź and then deported to Tarnów and the Lublin region in the General Government (German-occupied central Poland), while their houses were handed over to German colonists as part of the "Lebensraum" policy.