Often cursed by the military, gladly practiced by the military and often misunderstood by the civilian population: in its own way, the military training area is unique as a military training area in Austria.
In 1957 TÜPl was handed over to the army. This was before the area was confiscated by the German Wehrmacht in 1938. Thereafter, the Red Army used the buildings as a prisoner of war camp and later as a shooting range and infrastructure as a military training area. After the Red Army left, the extensive site was awarded to both the Army and the Windhoek’s Scholarship Foundation.
In the course of its eventful history, the now uninhabited area has become the epicenter of innumerable desires. The area was repeatedly mentioned as a nuclear depot, a landfill, a hunting ground, or a new campsite. Despite the protection of the site as a Natura 2000 site, even the possibility of building a prison was considered.
2012 marked a major turning point
The year 2022 is considered as the 10th anniversary year for a new beginning. In 2012, planned outsourcing of afforestation and hunting activities was officially suspended. Prior to that, the privatization and occupation of the site by Federal Forest seemed to be a completed deal.
Last but not least, it was Zwettl’s Politician and NÖN’s accompanying report that triggered a counter-movement. At that time there were about 50 jobs in the forest administration of the army.
157 sq km area with lots of work
After that he got up again. From 2019, a progressive path has been mapped with the new name “Combat Training Center”. Meanwhile, the TÜPl command has received a new organizational structure. The command is responsible for the military zone, and the work of accounting and component accounting is combined in MSZ 6 (Military Service Center 6). At the top is TÜPl Commander Herbert Gagush, who coordinates the 157-square-kilometer division: “I see TÜPl’s future in further development at a training center for Austrian security.”
Of course, this includes the use of local structures by blue light companies. Gaugusch sees in Steinbach the expansion of urban training facilities, the expansion of simulation-supported training facilities, and other focal points in the modernization of operational infrastructure.