after the nazis came to power in 1933 they soon initiated a policy of re-armament and this involved creating new military facilities. the lüneburg heath was of interest to the military due to its low population density and relatively unproductive soil. the wehrmacht thus established numerous outposts in the region or expanded existing ones. among those were large-scale training areas. other installations later became pow camps in the war. one eventually turned into bergen-belsen concentration camp. in 1938, the deutsche luftwaffe claimed a sizeable area near reinsehlen to establish a military airfield.